Date
Fall 2024
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Department
College of Nursing
First Advisor
Margaret Selph
Abstract
Problem Statement: Twenty percent of United States adolescents experience major depression at some point. Elevated school dropout rates, substance abuse, chronic disease, mortality and morbidity rates, and impaired growth remain because 60 % of adolescents with unidentified depression do not receive treatment. Purpose: This evidence-based project identified adolescents aged 16-19 in a South Carolina high school who had symptoms of depression. Counseling and resource information were provided for students with scores of 10 or greater, or thoughts of self-harm on the PHQ-9. Method: Students were screened using the PHQ-9. Data was organized in Excel and analyzed using the T-tests and Kruskal-Wallis’s tests to determine the significance when comparing participating students’ depression identification without school screening to participating students newly identified with symptoms of depression using the PHQ-9 screening tool. The distribution frequencies, t-tests, and Kruskal-Wallis’s tests were performed for students identified with symptoms of depression using history, gender, race, grade, and treatment outcomes as variables. Results: In-school screening identified more students with symptoms of depression than traditional methods. Female students were twice as likely as males (46.3% vs. 23.3%) to be positive for symptoms of depression. The PHQ-9 screening resulted in a significant number of students (5) identified with suicidal ideation. The outcomes for age and race were not significant. Implications for Practice: School-based screening with the PHQ-9, compared to no screening, newly identifies adolescents with symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. This provides opportunities for treatment, support, and policies to improve mental and physical health outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Griffith, Laura Lee, "Identifying Adolescent Depression in the Public School System" (2024). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 76.
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/dnp_projects/76
Rights
© 2024, Laura Lee Griffith