An investigation of automatic thoughts and depression related with school achievements in high school students

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between automatic thoughts and school achievements in high school students. This study is also designed to investigate the relationship among depression, anxiety and school achievements of students. The subjects of the study were a total of 485 students including 248 female, 237 male students, in Lise 3., 5., and 6. grades, during the academic year of 1995- 1996, in İzmir. The data was collected through the use of three instruments: Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Revised (ODÖ-G, validity and reliability studies were done by the author), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Stai A-Trait Scale (STAIA-Trait). In the analysis of the data SPSS- WIN was used. The comparison of the groups were analyzed through the Analyses of Variance (ANOVA), t-distribution, Scheffe test and Chi-squared distribution (x2). The findings of the research indicated that: 1. No significant relations were found between gender and school achievements, and between gender and depression. 2. Female students had more negative automatic thoughts than male students had, and their anxiety level was higher as compared to male students. 3. There is a significant relation between school achievement and depression. 4. Students who were less successful had more negative automatic thoughts; had higher depression scores and higher level of anxiety as compared to more successful students. 5. The effects of school achievement and gender differences shows significant differences on automatic thoughts, depression and anxiety level.6. The effects of nondepressed, moderately depressed and depressed groups on automatic thoughts, depression and anxiety shows significant differences. 7. Significant differences were found among depressive, moderately- depressive and nondepressive groups on automatic thoughts for both successful and unsuccessful students. There are significant relations between school achievement and negative automatic thoughts; and between depression and anxiety. The results of the present study suggest the use of the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaires-Revised (ODÖ-G) among high school students and in clinical work. VI