Freqency of depressive symptoms among grammar school pupils

On a sample of 180 pupils (90 boys, 90 girls) of Grammar school Kočevje a frequency of depressive symptoms among adolescents has been researched as well as the impact of gender, learning achievements and age on a depressive reaction phenomenon. A Depressive Moods Scale (Vesel, 1999) has been used, which is very reliable (0,93). A factor analysis has shown that it measures one common factor - depressive reactions, which illustrate 31 % variance. It has been established that one third of pupils are experiencing depressive symptoms frequently or very frequently. Disappointment with oneself because of one's own mistakes is the most frequent, then concentration difficulties and rambling of thoughts, which have been frequently or very frequently experienced by 40 % of pupils. Among five groups of depressive symptoms, cognitive and emotional ones are the most frequent. A high score on the Depressive Moods Scale has been achieved by 10 % of boys and 32 % of girls included in our sample, which shows that girls have more difficulties in experiencing depressive reactions, while learning achievements as well as age do not seem to have any impact on differences in experiencing depressive reactions