The problem of depression in adolescence.

The subjects for this study were tested using MMPI Scales 2 and 4 and the Beck Depression Inventory. There were four different groups studied, adolescent male patients, adolescent female patients, mothers, and fathers. The first null hypothesis stated that there will be no significant incidence of depression among adolescents hospitalized in a specific hospital facility. It is obvious that the null hypothesis was rejected for adolescents, both male and female, in the sample on the basis of the MMPI results. The second null hypothesis stated that there will be no significant incidence of depression among parents of adolescents admitted to a specific hospital for psychiatric treatment. There is not sufficient evidence to suggest that parents are depressed to a significant degree; therefore, the second null hypothesis is not rejected based on the results of the tests used in this study. However, there were a significant number of fathers who fell within the range of mild depression. Mothers did not appear depressed. The third null hypothesis stated that there will be no significant relationship between the presence of depression in hospitalized adolescents and the presence of depression in one or both parents. There was not evidence to permit rejection of this hypothesis; thus, there is not proof on the basis of this study that there is a correlation between family members.