Prevalence of depression among adolescent males in residential treatment

Examines the prevalence of depression among delinquent adolescent boys placed in a residential placement facility located in Yucaipa, California and managed by Trinity Children and Family Services, a non-profit organization. The Beck Depression Inventory was administered to 54 randomly selected boys (ages 12-18) of different ethnic backgrounds. Independent variables included length of time in the group home, the level of support from the family and the number of visitations the client received from family or other support systems. Results indicated that (1) White adolescents experience the highest levels of depression, (2) there was no difference in regards to depression in relation to age, and (3) that time in placement and the amount of family involvement had an impact on the level of depression of the adolescent