Iranian adolescents' ability to recognize depression and beliefs about preventative strategies, treatments and causes of depression.

BACKGROUND: Since depression often has its onset during adolescence, knowledge about adolescents' ability to recognize depression and their beliefs about preventative strategies, treatments, and causes of depression are of importance. METHODS: A total of 1984 adolescents, aged 12-17 years, participated in this study. They were recruited from 16 urban and suburban schools in Ahvaz City, Iran by cluster sampling. Participants were presented with a vignette depicting depression that was developed by Jorm and colleagues. RESULTS: About half of the adolescents were able to correctly recognize depression. In terms of dealing with the depression depicted by the character in the vignette, older compared to younger participants, thought it best to ignore the individual or keep him/her busy. Younger adolescents were more likely to believe that depression was the result of god's will and a physical illness, whereas older adolescents tended to consider depression as resulting from the way in which people were raised, and from the normal ups and downs of life. Older, compared to younger adolescents, tended to endorse the preventative value of "not using marijuana" and "never drinking alcohol in excess". LIMITATIONS: Since a hypothetical vignette was used, the findings may not truly reflect the real life experience of depression. The sample was drawn from a single region in Iran. CONCLUSIONS: Given adolescents' relatively limited knowledge about depression and their beliefs about the causes and preventative strategies, there is fertile ground for health promotion in Iran.

Depressive symptoms among children and adolescents in Iran: a confirmatory factor analytic study of the centre for epidemiological studies depression scale for children.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Iranian translation of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) in school children and adolescents in Iran. The CES-DC is a 20-item self-report scale designed to measure depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. A total of 1,984 children and adolescents, aged 12-17 years, participated in this research. In addition to the CES-DC, all participants completed the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The CES-DC demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha = .87). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed the same four factor structure as proposed by Radloff. Invariance tests showed an equivalent structure among boys and girls and younger and older adolescents. The CES-DC total scores correlated significantly with the SCAS total scores and the SDQ emotional symptoms subscale, providing support of its convergent validity. To conclude, the CES-DC proved to be a reliable and valid measure of depressive symptoms in the Iranian context.

The structure of anxiety symptoms among adolescents in Iran: a confirmatory factor analytic study of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale.

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Iranian translation of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) in a large community sample of adolescents (N = 1984), aged 12-17 years, in Ahvaz City, Iran. In addition to the SCAS, all participants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). The internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha = .92) and the validity of the Iranian translation of the SCAS was excellent. The SCAS total scores correlated significantly with the CES-DC, as well as with the emotional, conduct problems, hyperactivity-inattention, and peer problems subscales of the SDQ. However, Steiger's Z test demonstrated that correlations between the SCAS scores and the SDQ conduct problems or hyperactivity-inattention subscales were significantly lower than the correlations between the SCAS scores and the SDQ emotional symptoms subscale. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed the same 6-factor structure as the original SCAS. The SCAS proved to be a reliable and valid measure of anxiety symptoms among adolescents in Iran.

Morning and nocturnal serum melatonin rhythm levels in patients with major depressive disorder: an analytical cross-sectional study.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The pineal gland is an adaptive organ that precisely regulates the biological rhythms of melatonin brain hemostasis. Variation in the regulation of melatonin rhythms is a likely cause of depressive disorder. The purpose of this study was to measure serum melatonin levels in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and normal control subjects. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study at the industrial medical unit of the Iron Smelting Company of Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: The morning and nocturnal serum melatonin levels of patients and controls were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. All data were assessed using variance analysis. RESULTS: The morning and nocturnal serum melatonin levels of depressed and healthy subjects differed (P < 0.05). The nocturnal serum melatonin levels of depressed women were lower than those of depressed men (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed that the nocturnal serum melatonin levels in the depressed patients were lower than in the controls. Thus, the peak melatonin phase in the depressed patients was reached with delay.

Morning and nocturnal serum melatonin rhythm levels in patients with major depressive disorder: an analytical cross-sectional study / Medir los niveles del ritmo de melatonina día-noche entre los pacientes con trastorno depresivo mayor: un estudio analítico transversal

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The pineal gland is an adaptive organ that precisely regulates the biological rhythms of melatonin brain hemostasis. Variation in the regulation of melatonin rhythms is a likely cause of depressive disorder. The purpose of this study was to measure serum melatonin levels in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and normal control subjects. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analytical cross-sectional study at the industrial medical unit of the Iron Smelting Company of Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: The morning and nocturnal serum melatonin levels of patients and controls were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. All data were assessed using variance analysis. RESULTS: The morning and nocturnal serum melatonin levels of depressed and healthy subjects differed (P < 0.05). The nocturnal serum melatonin levels of depressed women were lower than those of depressed men (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed that the nocturnal serum melatonin levels in the depressed patients were lower than in the controls. Thus, the peak melatonin phase in the depressed patients was reached with delay. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01357083.

CONTEXTO Y OBJETIVO: La glándula pineal actúa precisamente regulando los ritmos biológicos de melatonina de hemostasia cerebral, como un órgano adaptativo. La modificación del ritmo de melatonina puede ser el motivo probable del trastorno depresivo. Este estudio se realizó con el objetivo de medir los niveles de melatonina entre los pacientes con trastorno depresivo mayor y los sanos. DISEÑO Y ESPACIO: Estudio analítico transversal-la unidad medicina laboral de empresa de Zob Ahan de Isfahán-Irán. MÉTODO: Los niveles de melatonina en suero día-noche se midó entre dos grupos (pacientes y sanos) utilizando el método de ELISA (Ensayo por inmunoabsorción ligado a enzimas). Todos los datos se hizo utilizando el análisis de la varianza. RESULTADOS: El nivel de melatonina en suero día-noche era distinto entre los deprimidos y los saludables (P < 0.05). El nivel de melatonina en suero en las mujeres deprimidas fue menos que los varones deprimidos (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONES: Esta investigación muestra que el nivel de melatonina nocturna en los deprimidos ha sido menos que los controlados, pues el pico de fase de melatonina en los pacientes deprimidos alcanza con retraso. NÚMERO DE REGISTRO DE ENSAYO CLÍNICO: NCT01357083.