Determining depression levels of high school students studying in İstanbul and analysing differences according to some parameters

Depression is nowadays one of the most common psychological disorders observed. In this study, the depression levels among high school students studying in Istanbul and differences resulting of various parameters were examined leading to the analysis of the relation between adolescence and depression. The puberty is psychologically a sensitive period and gains attained during this period are affecting an individual lifelong. In this sense, the prevalence of the rapidly increasing depression cases among adolescents and the parameters generating differences among the depression of adolescents were analyzed. In this study the adolescence period is presented by taking different viewpoints. The depression concept came up within its historical and theoretical frame and the epidemiology and etiology of depression were explained. In addition to these studies, analyses were conducted over Istanbul based high school students by using Beck Depression Scale. According to these analyses it has been determined that factors influencing depression levels among High School students are age, income level of the family, neighborhood, educational success and immigration status. Despite this there is no influence of gender on depression levels of adolescents. Keywords: Depression, Adolesence, Etiology, Epidemiology.