Abstract
Objectives: To examine rates and correlates of depressive symptoms among pregnant reservation-based American Indian (AI) adolescents from the Southwestern United States (N = 53). Methods: Data were derived from a study evaluating a home-visiting program designed to promote positive parenting among young families. Participants included a volunteer, convenience sample of expectant mothers who completed behavioral and mental health self-report questionnaires. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D). Three risk domains were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms: sociodemographics, family relations, and psychosocial functioning. Results: Forty-seven percent of expectant mothers scored at or above the widely accepted clinical cutoff score of 16 on the CES-D; 30% scored at or above 20, a score more likely to reflect elevated depressive symptoms among adolescents; and almost 20% scored at or above 28 (one standard deviation above the mean), a score suggestive of clinical depression. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with less use of public assistance, external locus of control, less social support, and lower self-esteem. Conclusions: Data suggest that a large proportion of pregnant AI adolescents reported elevated depressive symptoms, though rates are similar to non-pregnant AI adolescent samples.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | S110-S118 |
Journal | Maternal and child health journal |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | SUPPL. 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2008 |
Keywords
- Adolescents
- American Indian
- Depression
- Pregnancy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Epidemiology
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health