Examination of depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents

The current study was carried out to investigate the depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents. In the study, it was also examined and discussed how the depression levels of gifted adolescents were distributed and whether their depression levels changed according to gender, the giftedness of their best friend, and grade level. Within the scope of the study, the predictors of gifted adolescents' self-regulation, peer relationships, parental attitudes and self-compassion levels on their depression levels were investigated. In addition, the predictors of these variables on depression levels in gifted and talented female and male adolescents were also examined separately. Data were analyzed by t-test, one-way analysis of variance and hierarchical regression. According to the results of the research, it was revealed that the depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents are at moderate level. It was also found that the depression levels of the gifted adolescents differed significantly according to the gender and the giftedness of the best friend, but there was no significant difference according to the grade level. The findings of the study also showed that the depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents were predicted by psychological autonomy, self-coldness, conflict, protection and help variables. It was determined that these variables explained 62 percent of the depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents. It has been revealed that this pattern differs according to gender; the depression levels of gifted male adolescents are predicted by self-coldness and conflict and these variables predict 66 percent of the depression levels of gifted and talented male adolescents. It was found that the depression levels of gifted and talented girls were predicted by help and protection, psychological autonomy and self-coldness and these variables explained 60 percent of the depression levels of gifted and talented female adolescents. It was found that the self-coldness variable was the strongest predictor in explaining the depression levels of gifted and talented adolescents.