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Relocation stress in adolescent females: depression, anxiety and coping
Author(s) -
PUSKAR KATHRYN R.,
LADELY SHIRLEY J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2702.1992.tb00086.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , coping (psychology) , mental health , psychology , checklist , feeling , clinical psychology , sadness , loneliness , psychiatry , shyness , distress , anger , social psychology , cognitive psychology
Summary• This descriptive exploratory study estimates the prevalence of depression and anxiety in relocated adolescent females. The sample of 17 adolescent girls, aged 14‐16 years, was recruited from the public high school of a highly mobile suburb of Western Pennsylvania. Subjects had experienced a move within the past 3–18 months. • Subjects were interviewed and the following instruments were administered: the Relocation Survey, the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist, the Mooney Problem Checklist, the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, and the Life Event Record‐Senior High Version. • Findings indicated that the initial reaction to the move by 76% of the girls was a feeling of sadness. The part of the move liked least was leaving friends. • Eighteen per cent indicated that they lacked confidence in their own ability to adjust to the new school. Three of the 17 subjects (18%) were clinically depressed and 18% suffered moderate levels of anxiety. • The most frequently used coping strategy was escape‐avoidance. • Results of this study have implications for teachers, parents, school guidance counsellors, school nurses, and the masters‐prepared psychiatric mental health nurse consultant.