Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents

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1 689 Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents Aurelija Markevičiūtė 1, Antanas Goštautas 1, 2, Ina Pilkauskienė 1, 2 1 Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas University of Medicine, 2 Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania Key words: adolescents, depressiveness, self-worth, psychological correction. Summary. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility of psychological correction in groups to decrease depressiveness among senior schoolchildren. Data of 87 (53 girls and 34 boys) depressive schoolchildren, who participated in the sessions for developing communication skills were analyzed. Depressiveness was assessed by the Depression scale of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescents. Communication skills training method consisted of ten structured hourly sessions. The effectiveness of psychological correction was assessed by the Abbreviated self-awareness scale and the Depression scale of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescents. The results showed decrease in depressiveness and self-worth both among boys and girls (p<0.005). Among boys decrease in average present self-worth scores was noted, while among girls decrease in average present self-worth and average self-worth deviation. Depressiveness as well as self-worth decreased better among boys and girls, which had attended most sessions (p<0.005). Conclusions. Psychological correction enabled adolescents to decrease the manifestation of depressiveness, and to increase their self-worth: they became more active, communicable, optimistic and in a better mood. Depressiveness among boys decreased better among adolescents, who attended most sessions. Depressiveness decreased better among girls irrespective of their involvement in the sessions, and among actively involved boys. Selfawareness among boys and girls increased better among adolescents, who attended most sessions. Self-awareness increased better among girls irrespective of their involvement in the sessions, and among actively involved boys. Introduction Although much attention within the last decade is given to investigation of affective disorders among children and adolescents, diagnostic and treatment problems of such disorders (major depression, psychogenic depression, dysthymia) remain (1-3). Depression disorders hamper psychosocial adjustment of adolescents (1, 4-8) and significantly increase suicide risk (9-12). Some authors indicate that depression manifests itself in a continuum (13), and that sub-clinical disorders, which fall within the continuum, play an important role as possible risk factors for developing depression disorders (1, 11, 13). Besides, according S. Harter, adolescents in this period (14-15 years) experience stress as to confusedly perceived process of self-awareness. Self-worth of adolescents is changeable and associated to their egocentricity and fluctuation of their emotional background (14). This, and tendency to self-analysis, may lead to an inadequate attitude to the self, manifesting itself through extremely low self-worth, which, in turn, is associated to depressive affect and development of depression in adolescence (15). Therefore, it is important to perform psychological intervention as early as possible in order to strengthen self-confidence, correct impaired attitudes, and to solve interpersonal problems (8, 16, 19). Studies on prevention of depression among children and adolescents are being carried out for years already (16, 20). These studies confirmed the positive effect of such preventive intervention not only in reducing the risk for depression, but also in preventing co-existence of problems in academic performance, addictions, and delinquency (8, 16-18). At the beginning of the 10 th decade programs for prevention of depression were initiated at schools. The Correspondence to A. Markevičiūtė, Institute of Cardiology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Sukilėlių 17, 3007 Kaunas, Lithuania

2 690 Aurelija Markevičiūtė, Antanas Goštautas, Ina Pilkauskienė programs aimed at early detection of psychological problems and depression symptoms as well as at performing early psychological intervention in risk groups and in population (8). Most depression preventive programs at schools are based on the principles of cognitive behavior therapy. These are the methods based upon training, such as cognitive training, social problem solving, social skills training, and stress management programs (8, 21). These programs are based upon cognitive models of depression development. They aim at regulation of cognitive deficit, which is related to negative self-assessment, emotional deficit, solving interpersonal problems, increasing self-assurance, and attitude (problems) disturbances (8, 16, 17). In 1994 in the USA the Penn Prevention Program (M. E. P. Seligman) was started in order to prevent depression among middle-aged schoolchildren (10 through 13 years old) (16, 17). The Program involved depressive schoolchildren and/or schoolchildren from conflicting families. During twelve two academic hour sessions three methods of psychological intervention were used: cognitive training, social problems solving, and a combination of these two methods (16, 17). The results showed that irrespectively of the method applied depressiveness of the schoolchildren, involved in the Program, as compared to the control group, decreased just after the sessions and the effect lasted for 6 months. Positive shift in schoolchildren behavior at school was also noted (16, 17, 19). Clarke and co-workers in 1995 (13) elaborated a depression prevention program for 9-10 th form schoolchildren based on cognitive behavior therapy principles. It was called Stress Management Program. The Program consisted of fifteen sessions lasting 45 min. each. The results showed that within a year the probability to develop depression decreased on the average as compared to the control group (13, 16, 17, 22). Similar studies, carried out by other authors, revealed not only decrease of depressiveness, but also a better self-esteem, better academic performance, reducing behavioral problems at school and at home, and increased competence to solve emerging problems (8, 16, 21, 23). Nevertheless, there are controversial data as to the effectiveness of depression prevention programs depending upon the severity of depression and the gender of the adolescents (13, 16, 22, 23), therefore, additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of depression prevention methods (16). The search for the studies applying psychological correction of depression in groups in Lithuania was not successful. Nevertheless, psychological group intervention was successfully used among adolescents and youth with character accentuation to cure preneurotic states (24). Communication skills training school at the Psychology Clinic, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, has a three years of successful experience of communication skills training in groups. The studies showed a positive impact of intensive communication skills training upon the increase of self-esteem, introspection, adequate understanding of the ideal and the real self, decrease of dissatisfaction with themselves among the majority of senior schoolchildren, involved in the program (25, 26). The present study analyses the possibility of psychological intervention to lower pre-clinical depressiveness among adolescents. Depressiveness is considered to be the state within the continuum excluding clinical depression (27) on one side and no symptoms of depression on the other side. The adolescents, selected for this study, had scores for depressiveness close to the clinical level. Self-worth is regarded as a component of self-awareness, expressing an adolescent s attitude to the present (real) and desirable (ideal) self (28), which is more negative among depressive adolescents (14). This approach is new in Lithuania as most studies are concerned with clinical depression among adolescents, as diagnosed by ICD-10 criteria, and no psychological intervention was used so as to control depressiveness among adolescents. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility of psychological correction in groups to decrease depressiveness among adolescents. Material and methods The communication skills training sessions took place from October 2001 through January Three hundred twenty seven schoolchildren 172 girls and 155 boys - from three secondary schools participated at the sessions. The present article analyses the data of 87 (53 girls and 34 boys) depressive adolescents, whose individual score on the MMPI-A D scale was higher than the group average and who have no missing data. Depressiveness was assessed by the D scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory version for adolescents (MMIPI-A) (29-31). Psychological correction was performed using Communication skills training method (Vytautas Magnus

3 Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents 691 University, Kaunas Medical University, 2001), consisting of ten structured hourly sessions. The main themes of the sessions were as follows: I. Introduction (Getting acquainted). II. Communication. III. Introducing ourselves. IV. My feelings. V. Similarities and differences of people. VI. Conflicts and their positive solutions. VII. My school. VIII. My family. IX. My feelings: is it easy to be an adolescent? X. Farewell. Each session consisted of the following parts: greeting and a briefing of pressing points (5 min.); theoretical part (5 min.); skills training exercises (25 min.); summingup and discussion about the session (5 min.); saying goodbye (5 min.). Adolescents attendance and involvement in the sessions were also recorded. The results of psychological intervention were assessed by the MMPI-A D scale, and an Abbreviated self-awareness scale (Goštautas A., 1998; 2001) consisting of 19 pairs of adjectives, which remained after excluding less informative adjectives from the 30-item (the expanded self-worth scale). Average self-worth scores on the abbreviated (19-item) scale showed the present self-worth (the real self), the desirable selfworth (the ideal self), and the average difference between the present and the desirable self-worth (average self-worth deviation), the latter reflecting an inner conflict, related with the level of understanding one s potentials (25, 32). The decrease of the present selfworth scores after the psychological intervention, and the increase of the desirable self-worth scores regarded as an improvement of self-worth; whereas the decrease in the number of the average self-worth deviation indicates the reduction of the inner conflict and improved personality adjustment (25, 32). Additionally, meanings of the pairs of adjectives in the abbreviated self-awareness scale before and after the intervention were analyzed in order to answer the question which pairs of adjectives had the most impact on the positive change of total self-worth scores. Inner consistency of the MMPI-A D scale, and abbreviated self-awareness scale were tested by Cronbach alpha coefficient (0.59; 0.89, respectively). Adolescents adjustment at school was assessed by academic performance, attendance, and behavior records of one semester. Harmful habits were assessed by the answers (every day, once or several times a week, once or several times a month, once or several times a year, do not drink or do not smoke at all) to the questions How often do you drink alcohol? and How often do you smoke?. Descriptive statistics, Student (t) criterion, contingency tables (chi square criterion) were used for statistical analysis of the data. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows. Results The results of the psychological intervention were assessed by changes in scores of MMPI-A D scale and the abbreviated self-worth scale. Table 1. Changes in depressiveness according to MMPI-A D scale scores before and after psychological intervention Feature Mean value and standard deviation of MMPI-A D-scale boys N=34 girls N=53 Before psychological correction 28.25± ±3.96 After psychological correction 24.12± ±3.87 p< Table 2. Self-worth scores before and after the psychological intervention Feature Mean value and standard deviation boys N=34 girls N=53 The present self-worth before psychological correction 3.34± ±0.75 The present self-worth after psychological psychological 3.06± ±0.67 p< Average self-worth difference before psychological correction 1.48± ±0.82 Average self-worth difference after psychological correction 1.29± ±0.66 p<

4 692 Aurelija Markevičiūtė, Antanas Goštautas, Ina Pilkauskienė Comparison of depressiveness scores before and after the intervention (Table 1) showed, that MMPI- A D scale scores statistically significantly lowered after the session irrespective of the gender of adolescents. Self-awareness (19-item scale) scale scores (Table 2) showed that psychological intervention enabled adolescents (boys and girls) to increase their self-worth. Less marked changes were observed in the group of boys, where statistically significant changes were noted only in average present self-worth scores, while average self-worth deviation and the desirable average selfworth scores reflected only a tendency to decrease. Among girls there were positive changes both in average present self-worth scores and in average selfworth deviation scores, which shows greater decrease of the inner conflict. Changes in the average desirable self-worth scores did not reach statistically significant difference in both genders. Table 3. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth scores among boys adjectives before after before after psychological psychological p< psychological psychological p< correction correction correction correction Active passsive 3.72± ± Responsible negligent 1.44± ± Communicable withdrawn 3.44± ± ± ± Friendly hostile 3.03± ± Lively upset 3.56± ± Cheerful sad 4.33± ± ± ± Optimistic pessimistic 3.78± ± ± ± Easy to get on with feuding 1.74± ± Table 4. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth scores among girls adjectives before after before after psychological psychological p< psychological psychological p< correction correction correction correction Active passsive 4.25± ± ± ± Assured doubtful 3.19± ±1.64** ± ± In a good mood in a bad 3.71± ±1.47** ± ± mood Communicable withdrawn 4.19± ± ± ± Cheerful sad 4.94± ± ± ± Optimistic pessimistic 3.89± ± ± ± Resolute hesitating 4.44± ± ± ± Easy to get on with feuding 1.86± ± Buttoned-up open 3.09± ±1.30** **Bigger values express greater positive change.

5 Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents 693 A more detailed analysis of changes in selfawareness was performed by answering the question The changes of scores, in which particular pairs of adjectives played a greater role in lowering selfawareness scores (Tables 3, 4). Among boys the present self-worth scores lowered mainly due to changes in such pairs of adjectives as: active-passive, communicable-withdrawn, friendlyhostile, lively-upset, cheerful-sad, optimisticpessimistic. Average self-worth deviation scores lowered mainly due to changes in such pairs as: responsible-negligent, cheerful-sad, communicablewithdrawn, optimistic-pessimistic, and easy to get on with-feuding (p<0.05). Among girls most positive changes on the present self-worth scale were due to such adjectives as: activepassive, assured-doubtful, in a good mood-in bad mood, communicable-withdrawn, cheerful-sad, optimisticpessimistic, resolute-hesitating, buttoned-up-open. Average self-worth deviation difference scores among girls lowered mainly due to changes in such pairs as: active-passive, assured-doubtful, in a good mood-in bad mood, communicable-withdrawn, cheerful-sad, and optimistic-pessimistic, and easy to get on with-feuding (p<0.05). The analysis of the attendance of the communication skills training sessions and involvement in the sessions showed (Tables 5, 6) that most boys were involved in the work of the fourth, fifth, and the tenth session (85.36 percent of boys which have participated at the sessions). The girls were more involved in the sixth, seventh (90.57 percent), and the ninth session (94.34 percent). Four boys (11.76 percent of the participant boys) and four girls (7.55 percent of the participant girls) participated in all the ten sessions, but girls attended more sessions on the average as compared to boys (8.47±1.10 sessions vs 7.68±1.51, p 0.005). According to the number of the sessions attended schoolchildren were divided into groups of good participants (three or less sessions missed) and poor participants (more than three sessions missed). Such division of participants was based on the assumption that the more sessions were missed the less was the involvement in the group work, and the poorer was the treatment effect. Three girls (5.66 percent) and 7 boys (20.59 percent) comprised the group of poor participants, and 50 girls (94.34 percent) and 27 boys (79.41 percent) made up the group of good participants. The analysis of the relation of attendance to the changes in the depressiveness scores on MMPI-A D scale revealed (Table 7) that better participants (boys and girls) had higher scores on MMPI-A D scale prior to psychological intervention sessions as compared to poor participants. Depressiveness decreased more among good participants irrespective of their gender. Table 5. Adolescent involvement in the Communication skills training sessions (abs. number, %) Participants The number of a session I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Boys N= (100 %) (64.7) (70.7) (64.7) (85.4) (85.4) (76.5) (82.4) (70.7) (67.6) (85.4) Girls N= (100 %) (73.6) (84.9) (81.13) (86.8) (83.0) (90.6) (90.6) (75.5) (94.3) (88.7) Table 6. Adolescent attendance at the Communication skills training sessions (abs. number, %) Participants Number of a session attended Boys N= (100 %) (100) (100) (100) (97.1) (97.1) (94.1 (79.4) (55.9) (29.1) (11.8) Girls N= (100 %) (100) (100) (100 ) (100) (98.1) (98.1) (94.3) (84.9) (64.2) (7.6)

6 694 Aurelija Markevičiūtė, Antanas Goštautas, Ina Pilkauskienė Table 7. Changes in adolescent depressiveness in groups of good and poor attendance of Communication skills training sessions Mean value and standard deviation of MMPI-A D-scale Feature boys N=34 girls N=53 attended attended p< attended attended p< better worse better worse N=27 N=7 N=50 N=3 Before psychological correction 28.63± ± ± ± After psychological correction 23.96± ± ± ± p< Table 8. Self-worth scores according to the attendance at the Communication skills training sessions Mean value and standard deviation Feature boys girls attended attended attended attended better worse p< better worse p< N=27 N=7 N=50 N=3 The present self-worth 3.61± ± ± ± before psychological correction The present self-worth 3.12± ± ± ± after psychological correction p< Average self-worth 1.42± ± ± ± difference before psychological correction Average self-worth 1.20± ± ± ± difference after psychological correction p< Self-worth (abbreviated scale) before and after intervention was compared in groups of adolescents who attended the intervention sessions better and worse (Table 8). After the psychological intervention statistically significant decrease in average present self-worth scores among boys occurred despite their attendance at the sessions, while the decrease of the average selfworth deviation difference did not reach statistical significance. Among girls statistically significant decrease in both self-worth scales scores were observed in a group of good participants. Changes in the desirable self-worth did not reach statistical significance in both genders. Analysis of the impact of particular pairs of adjectives upon the total self-worth scores (Table 9) among the groups of good and poor participants revealed that among good participants boys self worth improved due to the following adjectives: friendlyhostile, lively-upset, easy to get on with-feuding, and flexible-rigid. Although average self-worth difference among boys was not statistically significant positive changes occurred among good participants mostly due to such pairs of adjectives as: assured-doubtful, cheerful-sad, easy to get on with-feuding, and flexiblerigid. Among girls (Table 10) positive changes in the present self-worth were due to such pairs of adjectives as: active-passive, in a good mood-in a bad mood, makes friends easy-difficulties in making friends, optimistic-pessimistic, and resolute-hesitating. Average self-worth deviation difference changed due to such pairs of adjectives: active-passive, in a good mood-in

7 Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents 695 Table 9. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth among good participants boys adjectives attended attended attended attended better worse p< better worse p< N=27 N=7 N=27 N=7 Assured doubtful 0.69± ± Friendly hostile 1.29± ± Lively upset 1.01± ± Cheerful sad 1.23± ± Easy to get on with feuding 1.29± ± ± ± Rigid flexible 0.14±0.90** 0.62±1.06** ± ± **Bigger negative values express greater positive change. Table 10. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth scores among good participants girls adjectives attended attended attended attended better worse p< better worse p< N=50 N=3 N=50 N=3 Active passsive 0.74± ± ± In a good mood in a bad 0.65±1.54** 0.67±0.81** ± ± mood Makes friends easily 2.03± ± ± ± difficulties in making friends Optimistic pessimistic 0.74± ± ± ± Resolute hesitating 1.33± ± Buttoned-up open 1.67± ± **Bigger negative values express greater positive change. a bad mood, optimistic-pessimistic, and buttoned-upopen. The relationship of adolescents involvement in the sessions and changes in depressiveness scores was analyzed by a comparison of MMPI-A D scales scores before and after the sessions in groups of more and less involved adolescents (Table 11). Statistically significant decrease in depressiveness scores after the sessions was observed among actively involved boys, whereas among girls depressiveness decreased despite the degree of their involvement. The data of the analysis of changes in self-worth scores among more and less involved adolescents are presented in Table 12. Statistically significant decrease in the present self-worth scores occurred among boys irrespective of the level of their involvement in the sessions. Average self-worth deviation difference

8 696 Aurelija Markevičiūtė, Antanas Goštautas, Ina Pilkauskienė Table 11. Relationship of changes in depressiveness with the involvement in the Communication skills training sessions Mean value and standard deviation of MMPI-A D-scale Feature boys N=34 girls N=53 more involved less involved more involved less involved N=27 N=7 N=50 N=3 Before psychological correction 28.19± ± ± ±4.14 After psychological correction 22.83± ± ± ±2.74 p< Table 12. Relationship of changes in self-worth with the involvement in the Communication skills training sessions Mean value and standard deviation Feature boys girls more less more less involved involved involved involved N=16 N=18 N=20 N=33 The present self-worth before psychological correction 3.49± ± ± ±0.73 The present self-worth after psychological correction 3.02± ± ± ±0.67 p< Average self-worth difference before psychological 1.58± ± ± ±0.78 correction Average self-worth difference after psychological 1.11± ± ± ±0.66 correction p< scores statistically significantly decreased among more involved boys. Statistically significant changes in the present selfworth scores and average self-worth deviation difference scores occurred among girls irrespective of the level of their involvement in the sessions. Additionally, the desirable self-worth scores statistically significantly decreased among more involved girls (p=0.015). The analysis of the impact of the pairs of adjectives into the changes in self-worth total scores (Table 13) revealed that among boys more marked positive changes in the present self-worth assessment occurred due to changes in such pairs of adjectives as: activepassive, friendly-hostile, lively-upset, buttoned up-open, and optimistic-pessimistic. Average self-worth deviation difference scores changed positively following the changes in such adjectives as: in a good mood-in a bad mood, friendly/hostile, communicablewithdrawn, and easy to get on with-feuding. Among girls (Table 14) the present self-worth changed due to such pairs of adjectives as: in a good mood-in a bad mood, friendly-hostile, optimisticpessimistic, resolute-hesitating, while the desirable selfworth due to cheerful-sad and optimistic-pessimistic (p<0.05). Average self-worth deviation difference changed positively following the changes in such adjectives as: in a good mood-in a bad mood, friendlyhostile, cheerful-sad, and optimistic-pessimistic. Discussion Comparison of depressiveness scores before and after the intervention showed, that MMPI-A D scale scores statistically significantly lowered after the session irrespective of the gender of adolescents. This corresponds to the literature findings which state that psychological methods based on cognitive therapy are equally effective for both genders (3, 16), and do not correspond to the ones, expressing the opposite opinion (20, 22).

9 Possibilities of psychological correction of depressiveness among adolescents 697 Table 13. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth scores on the abbreviated self-worth scale among boys more or less involved in the sessions adjectives more less more less involved involved p< involved involved p< N=16 N=18 N=16 N=18 Active passsive 0.33± ± In a good mood in a bad 1.02± ± mood Communicable withdrawn 1.10± ± Friendly hostile 0.99± ± ± ± Lively upset 0.41± ± Optimistic pessimistic 0.94± ± Easy to get on with feuding 0.75± ± Buttoned-up open** 0.24± ± **Bigger negative values express greater positive change. Table 14. Pairs of adjectives having positively influenced total self-worth scores on the abbreviated self-worth scale among girls more or less involved in the sessions adjectives more less more less involved involved p< involved involved p< N=20 N=33 N=20 N=33 In a good mood in a bad 0.97±1.20** 0.30±0.92** ± ± mood Friendly hostile 0.48± ± ± ± Linksmas liūdnas 0.84± ± Optimistic pessimistic 0.93± ± ± ± Resolute hesitating 1.03± ± **Bigger negative values express greater positive change. Self-awareness scale scores showed that psychological intervention enabled adolescents (boys and girls) to increase their self-worth. Thus, we can see, that the decrease of depressiveness scores and increase of self-worth scores after the psychological intervention sessions is more prominent among the adolescents who participated in most sessions irrespective of their gender. After the sessions the real self-worth improved both among good and poor participants (boys). One may think that participating even in a few communication skills training sessions had a positive impact upon boys self-worth, communication skills, as well as upon their self-esteem and competence (25, 26). Although among good participants (boys) the real self-worth changed to a greater degree (this is seen in positive changes of adjectives), this was not enough to have significant less inner self-worth conflict. The number of poor attendants girls is not sufficient for adequate interpretation of the data. Comparison of adjustment indices among more and less actively involved boys and girls did not show

10 698 Aurelija Markevičiūtė, Antanas Goštautas, Ina Pilkauskienė statistically significant changes. One may think, that depressed adolescents, irrespective of their gender and adjustment indices, are generally less active during the sessions and are likely to be observers rather than active participants. We see, that communication skills training had a positive impact upon adolescents irrespective of their involvement in the sessions, but among less actively involved girls changes in self-awareness and inner conflict were more prominent as compared to that of less active boys. This may be explained by worse attendance of the sessions among boys. We may conclude, that communication skills training has a positive impact upon self-awareness among adolescents, and helps them to decrease the manifestation of inner self-worth conflict as well as depressiveness. Communication skills training sessions had a positive impact upon adolescents communication experience, understanding of self-competence, becoming aware of one s strong character features, and this led to a decrease of depressiveness and the improvement of self-worth among adolescents (25, 26). Nevertheless, one cannot underestimate the possible impact of such factors as the mood of respondents, psychological and physical state of the respondents during the investigation as well as adolescents predisposition to answering the questionnaires upon the obtained results. Therefore further investigations in this area are needed. Conclusions 1. Psychological intervention enabled to lower depressiveness and increase self-awareness among adolescent boys and girls. Boys became more communicable, optimistic, in a better mood, and girls became more active, communicable, optimistic, in a better mood, less doubtful. Positive changes in self-worth and reduction of inner conflict associated with self-worth were more expressed among girls as compared to boys. 2. Depressiveness among boys decreased better among adolescents, who attended most sessions. Depressiveness decreased better among girls irrespective of their involvement in the sessions, and among actively involved boys. Self-awareness among boys and girls increased better among adolescents, who attended most sessions. Self-awareness increased better among girls irrespective of their involvement in the sessions, and among actively involved boys. Grupinės psichologinės korekcijos galimybės paauglių depresiškumui mažinti Aurelija Markevičiūtė 1, Antanas Goštautas 1, 2, Ina Pilkauskienė 1, 2 1 Kauno medicinos universiteto Kardiologijos institutas, 2 Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas Raktažodžiai: paauglystė, depresiškumas, savęs vertinimas, psichologinė korekcija. Santrauka. Darbo tikslas. Įvertinti grupinės psichologinės korekcijos galimybes paauglių depresiškumui mažinti. Analizuojami 87 (53 mergaičių ir 34 berniukų) dešimtųjų klasių depresiškų moksleivių, dalyvavusių 2001 m. rudenį 2002 m. žiemą psichologinės korekcijos užsiėmimuose ir užpildžiusių pateiktus klausimynus, duomenys. Paauglių depresiškumui ir jo pokyčiui įvertinti taikyta Minesotos daugiaprofilinio asmenybės klausimyno, skirto paaugliams, Depresijos skalė, savęs vertinimui Trumpa savimonės skalė, depresiškumo psichologinei korekcijai Bendravimo įgūdžių ugdymo metodika. Svaigalų vartojimas vertintas pagal paauglių atsakymus į klausimus apie svaigalų ir tabako vartojimą. Adaptavimasis mokykloje vertintas pagal pažangumo, lankomumo bei elgesio rodiklius. Rezultatai. Baigus užsiėmimus, sumažėjo berniukų ir mergaičių Depresijos skalės, esamo savęs vertinimo bei mergaičių vidutinio savęs vertinimo nuokrypio vidurkiai (p 0,005), o tai rodo sumažėjusį tiriamųjų depresiškumą ir pagerėjusį savęs vertinimą. Tarp geriau užsiėmimus lankiusių berniukų ir mergaičių depresiškumas sumažėjo, o savęs vertinimas pagerėjo labiau negu tarp blogiau užsiėmimus lankiusių berniukų ir mergaičių (p 0,005). Išvados. Po psichologinės korekcijos sumažėjo paauglių (berniukų ir mergaičių) depresiškumas ir pagerėjo savęs vertinimas: jie tapo aktyvesni, lengviau bendraujantys, optimistiškesni ir geresnės nuotaikos. Tarp geriau užsiėmimus lankiusių berniukų depresiškumas sumažėjo labiau negu tarp blogiau užsiėmimus lankiusiųjų. Savęs vertinimas pagerėjo tarp geriau užsiėmimus lankiusių ir aktyviau juose dalyvavusių berniukų bei mergaičių nepriklausomai nuo jų aktyvumo užsiėmimuose. Adresas susirašinėjimui: A. Markevičiūtė, KMU Kardiologijos institutas, Sukilėlių 17, 3007 Kaunas

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Šiauliai: ŠU leidykla; Received 10 January 2003, accepted 10 February 2003