ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Secure attachment to parents prevents adolescents from externalizingbehaviours especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify thecontributors to parental attachment in a developing society. Methodology: This crosssectional study was performed on urban secondary students (aged between 13 and 17 years)based on multistage sampling in Pasir Gudang District, Johor, Malaysia. The depression,anxiety and stress (DASS-21) and Inventory of parent and peer attachment (IPPA)questionnaires were used along with a questionnaire for demographic information. Analysisof covariance (ANCOVA) was used to identify the main effect of study parameters on IPPAscores for father and mother. Results: A total of 2980 students (46.9% male and 53.1%female) participated in this study. Mean and SD for age was 14.39±1.28. Depression scoreand school form had a significant main effect on both paternal and maternal attachment(p<0.05). Age (p=0.003), ethnicity (p=0.01), history of intimate relationship (p=0.03),paternal education level (p=0.006) and maternal education level (p=0.04) had a main effecton paternal attachment, while gender (p=0.02) and stress (p=0.001) were shown to havesignificant main effect on maternal attachment. Discussion: The findings of this studyrevealed different contributors for adolescent attachment with father and mother. Local,cultural and economic structure of the community should be taken into account in order toplan for an intervention strategy to secure adolescent’s relationship with parents.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Adolescence is a crucial period with impressive emotional changes. Emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress are high among adolescents worldwide; however the psychosocial changes are often neglected. The aim of the current study was to determine the depression, anxiety and stress symptoms and their associated factors among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study using cluster sampling was carried out among school-going adolescents in 10 secondary schools in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia. Respondents answered a self-administered questionnaire including socio-demographic, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using SPSS-21, chi-square test and binomial logistic regression were conducted to examine the associations between dependent and independent variables. Results: Respondents (52.6% female and 53.9% Malay) had 46.0% prevalence of depression symptoms, 59.1% anxiety, 38.1% stress and 45.6% psychosocial status (internalizing and externalizing problems). Age, father occupation and parental bonding were significantly predicted having moderate to extremely severe depression symptom (p<0.05). Younger adolescents (13-14 years old) were 1.42 times more likely to have anxiety symptom. In addition, respondents with insecure father attachment were 1.5 times more likely to have stress symptom (p<0.05). Respondents with insecure parental attachment were more likely to have psychosocial problem (p<0.05). Conclusions: Depression, anxiety and stress of adolescents were influenced by the sociodemographic of adoleascents and their parents. Age, gender and parental attachment were the significant predictors in the current study which should be the center of attention for the future studies to reduce the psychological disorders among adolescents.