DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i06.005

Pages: 1120-1125

The focus of the present study was to compare the depressive symptoms among adolescents living with their biological parent and those living with non-biological parent within Abakaliki metropolis. A total of 583 schooling adolescents were purposefully selected. Out of this, 383 live with biological parents: 189 (49%) male, and 194 (51%) female. 200 live with non-biological parents: 62 (31%) male, and 138 (69%) female. A questionnaire of two sections was used: section A-deals with personal demographic data while section B contains Columbia DISC Depression scale with 22 questions and was used for the assessment of depressive symptoms of the respondents. The findings show that the discrepancy in depressive symptoms among adolescents living with their biological parents and those living with non-biological parents is insignificant. There is no disparity in the adolescents’ depressive symptoms on gender among adolescents living with biological parents but more common among female than male on those living with non-biological parents. The findings also show that age, gender and class levels of adolescents are not determinant factors for depressive symptoms. Appropriate recommendations were made for concerned parties in this study.