Aggression in Inpatient Adolescents: The Effects of Gender and Depression

• NCJ Number: 203159
• Journal: Youth & Society Volume: 35 Issue: 2 Dated: December 2003 Pages: 226-242
• Author(s): Michele Knox; Michael Carey; Wun Jung Kim
• Editor(s): Kathryn G. Herr
• Date Published: December 2003
• Length: 17 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared depressed inpatient youth to non-depressed inpatient youth to determine whether rates of aggression were higher in treatment-seeking adolescents with depressive disorders and whether these differences were gender-specific.

Abstract

Research indicates a link between clinical depression and aggressive behavior in adolescents. This study compared primarily White depressed inpatient youth to primarily White non-depressed inpatient youth to determine whether rates of aggression were, in fact, higher in treatment-seeking adolescents with depressive disorders and if these differences were gender specific. It was hypothesized that depression and gender would interact significantly such that females with depression would report more physical aggression than non-depressed females and males would demonstrate the same. The study sample consisted of 84 adolescents, aged 13 to 17 years, and comprised of 49 females and 35 males. All participants were inpatients at a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital. The majority of the participants were White. In order to delineate the relative onset of depression and aggression, information was collected on past depressive disorders and current aggression. Descriptive statistics were computed to evaluate the prevalence of aggressive behavior in participants. Study findings indicate that depression may be a greater risk factor for aggressive behavior for female, as compared to male, adolescents with psychiatric disturbance. The findings also indicate that depressed female inpatients were more aggressive than non-depressed female inpatients. These findings are consistent with recent research findings and indicate that depression may be a risk factor for aggression in adolescent females. These findings have implications for the referral and treatment of primarily White adolescent females such that depression may be considered a risk factor for aggression in treatment-seeking female adolescents. In contrast, treatment-seeking males with a history of depression may be at a lower risk for aggressive acting out than their non-depressed, treatment-seeking male counterparts. References