Coping Strategies among Adolescent Children of Depressed and Non Depressed Parents

The objective of the present study was to find out differences in coping strategies of adolescents of depressed and non-depressed parents. Comparative cross-sectional study. The study was conducted at Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission [PAEC] Hospital in Islamabad during the period of April 2014 to June 2014. The sample consisted of 130 adolescents including 50 from families of depressed parents and, 80 from non-depressed parents. The data was collected through purposive sampling technique. Brief COPE scale was used to assess coping strategies of the subjects. The results indicate significant difference in coping strategies of adolescents of depressed and non- depressed parents. The adolescents of depressed parents used more dysfunctional coping strategies such as active avoidant coping strategy. The results also highlighted significant gender differences. Results of the study suggest that children of depressed parents use dysfunctional coping strategies as compared to children of non-depressed parents. The findings are important for future research and prevention studies with children of depressed parents to incorporate healthy and functional coping strategies

Pattern of somatic symptoms in anxiety and depression

To determine the pattern of somatic symptoms in anxiety and depressive disorders. Cross Sectional Comparative study. Department of Psychiatry Military Hospital Rawalpindi. From May to November 2002. Patients were divided in Group I of anxiety and group II of depression. Fifty patients considered in each group by convenience sampling. The organic basis of their symptoms was ruled out. The patterns of their somatic symptoms and other information like educational and economic status were recorded on Semi Structured Proforma. The patient's diagnosis was made on schedule based ICD-10 research criteria. The severity of anxiety and depression was assessed by using HARS and HDRS respectively. The pattern of somatic symptoms in both groups was then analyzed by the urdu version of Bradford Somatic Inventory. Patterns of somatic complaints were then analyzed by chi square test. Out of 100 patients we placed 50 each in group I [anxiety] and group II [Depression]. Males were higher in depression whereas females were higher in anxiety disorder group. P-value for headache was 0.017 while in rest of the somatic symptoms it was insignificant ranging from 0.4 to 1. We found that the patterns of somatic symptoms are present in both the groups of anxiety and depression like symptoms related to musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal system were commonly observed in cases of depression whereas symptoms related to autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular system is more significantly somatized in patients of anxiety. A larger sample is required for further studies to get better results