The Importance of Parental and Best Friend Support for Symptoms of Depression in the Adolescence

Abstract

Background: This study examined if parental and best friend support can play a role in predicting less symptoms of depression in early and late adolescence. Method: The sample consisted of 687 participants. The mean age of the adolescents was 15.59, 372 boys and 315 girls participated. For this study, two regression analyses that were performed. The first regression analysis that was performed, tested if parental and best friend support predict less symptoms of depression in early adolescence and the second regression analysis that was performed, tested if parental and best friend support predict less symptoms of depression in late adolescence. To conclude if there was any difference in effect between early and late adolescence, the confidence intervals have been compared. Results: The support of parents and best friends in early adolescence did not predict less symptoms of depression. There was a small effect of support of parents in late adolescence, predicting less symptoms of depression. To conclude these effects, comparing the confidence intervals showed that there was no difference in effect of support between early and late adolescence. Conclusion: The results showed, there was a small effect of parental support in late adolescence. This means that parental support with older adolescents can possible be an important factor for predicting less symptoms of depression. The findings of this study may be used for a follow-up study of support form best friends and parents in predicting less symptoms of depression in adolescence.