TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relationship Between Family Cohesion and Depression Among School-Going Children With Elevated Symptoms of Behavioral Challenges in Southern Uganda
AU - Nabayinda, Josephine
AU - Kizito, Samuel
AU - Ssentumbwe, Vicent
AU - Namatovu, Phionah
AU - Sensoy Bahar, Ozge
AU - Damulira, Christopher
AU - Nabunya, Proscovia
AU - Kiyingi, Joshua
AU - Namuwonge, Flavia
AU - Mwebembezi, Abel
AU - McKay, Mary M.
AU - Ssewamala, Fred M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023
PY - 2023/5
Y1 - 2023/5
N2 - Purpose: Depression is among the leading causes of disability and contributes significantly to the overall disease burden affecting children. Family cohesion has been identified as a protective factor against depression. Examining this relationship is necessary in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Uganda—a country characterized by a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and high rates of chronic poverty, all of which stress family functioning and elevate child behavioral challenges. This study examined the relationship between family cohesion and depression among school-going children with elevated symptoms of behavioral challenges in southern Uganda. Methods: At baseline, 2089 children were enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-funded Strengthening Mental Health and Research Training Africa study in Southwestern Uganda. This article analyzed data from 626 children aged 8–13 years with elevated behavioral challenges. We conducted multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression to determine the association between family cohesion and depression. We controlled for sociodemographic and household characteristics. Results: The mean age was 10.3 years. The overall mean depression score was 3.2 (standard deviation = 2.7, range = 0–15). Family cohesion (β = −0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.04, −0.02, p < .001) and owning essential items by the child (β = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.23, −0.04, p = .005) were protective against depression among children. Additionally, we observed being a single orphan (β = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.03, −0.86, p = .036) and having both parents (β = −0.43, 95% CI: −0.06, −0.81, p = .023) were associated with depression among children. Discussion: Findings from this study reveal that family cohesion was protective against depression. Therefore, it is vital to strengthen family support systems by developing programs aimed at strengthening family relationships as a catalyst for addressing depression among children.
AB - Purpose: Depression is among the leading causes of disability and contributes significantly to the overall disease burden affecting children. Family cohesion has been identified as a protective factor against depression. Examining this relationship is necessary in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Uganda—a country characterized by a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and high rates of chronic poverty, all of which stress family functioning and elevate child behavioral challenges. This study examined the relationship between family cohesion and depression among school-going children with elevated symptoms of behavioral challenges in southern Uganda. Methods: At baseline, 2089 children were enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-funded Strengthening Mental Health and Research Training Africa study in Southwestern Uganda. This article analyzed data from 626 children aged 8–13 years with elevated behavioral challenges. We conducted multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression to determine the association between family cohesion and depression. We controlled for sociodemographic and household characteristics. Results: The mean age was 10.3 years. The overall mean depression score was 3.2 (standard deviation = 2.7, range = 0–15). Family cohesion (β = −0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.04, −0.02, p < .001) and owning essential items by the child (β = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.23, −0.04, p = .005) were protective against depression among children. Additionally, we observed being a single orphan (β = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.03, −0.86, p = .036) and having both parents (β = −0.43, 95% CI: −0.06, −0.81, p = .023) were associated with depression among children. Discussion: Findings from this study reveal that family cohesion was protective against depression. Therefore, it is vital to strengthen family support systems by developing programs aimed at strengthening family relationships as a catalyst for addressing depression among children.
KW - Behavioral challenges
KW - Depressive symptoms
KW - Family cohesion
KW - Mental health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151560192&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.12.016
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.12.016
M3 - Article
C2 - 37062578
AN - SCOPUS:85151560192
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 72
SP - S11-S17
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 5
ER -