The theme of disconnection in adolescent girls' understanding of depression.

Fourteen adolescent girls aged between 14 and 17 were interviewed concerning their understanding of depression. Individual interviews were semi-structured and included discussion about descriptions of, causes of, and coping with, depression. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analysed thematically. The dominant theme arising from the girls' interviews was that of disconnection from relationships. Possible reasons why disconnection seems to play such a large part in girls' understanding of depression are discussed.