Frequency of depressive symptoms among 7th and 8th grade students in regional boarding primary education schools in province of tunceli

2. ABSTRACTThe majority of Regional Boarding Primary Schools has been established to meet the school needs of school-age students residing in settlements without schools in development priority cities. This research is carried out to determine prevalence of depression among 7th and 8th class students studying in Tunceli Province Regional Primary Boarding Schools (YİBO).This cross-sectional study was conducted by reaching 339 of 353 students studying in 7th and 8th classes in seven RPBS in Tunceli Province. Research data were collected by the application of a questionnaire under direct observation; first part of questionnaire consists questions about students? health, social and demographic characteristics and other factors considered as influential on depression, second part consists Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS) questions. Percentage, mean, Fisher?s Exact Test and X² (chi-square) analyses are used in data analysis.44.8 % of students are female, 55.2% of students are male and average age is 13.52±0.69. Average RADS point is 58.12±13.83 (min:34, max:104 points). According to RADS cut-off point the rate of deemed depression is 12.1 %. It is determined that frequency of depression is high in pupils who reside in city or district centers, have lower marks than very good in previous year, have negative feelings towards school, change school, are born among the first three children in their family, study, have chronic diseases, percept their health status as medium or bad, have introverted personality structure, have parents fighting for any reasons, are exposed to physical violence in any period of life, have sleeping problems, have negative relations with friends and dissatisfied and pupils who declares that they are hopelessness/ambiguousness about future (P<0.05).As a result; in this research depression frequency among students studying in RPBSs in Tunceli Province is estimated as 12.1 %. By evaluating the risk factors associated with depression, preventative, curative and rehabilitative services should be organized fort his group.Key words: Regional Boarding Primary School, depression, student