The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents Having Broken and Unbroken Families more

421 The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents Having Broken and Unbroken Families Figen ELMACI* Abstract In this research, depression and adjustment levels of adolescents between ages 1518 in secondary education and having both broken and unbroken families were analyzed in respect of social support and family constitution. The role of family constitution and social support on depression and adjustment level were investigated. Instruments were conducted on 203 adolescents selected from secondary schools in Kocaeli Provincial Centre, 101 of which are from unbroken families and 102 of which are from broken families. Of the students, 104 were male (%51.2) and 99 were female (%48.8). A mean age of the oarticipants was 16.46 years. In the study, “The Hacettepe Personality Inventory” was used to collect the data about adolescents’ adjustment levels and “The Beck Depression Inventory” was used to collect the data about their depression levels. The Perceived Social Support Scale was used to collect the data on students’ perception of social support and personal information form was used to determine family constitutions. It was found that the perception of social support and family constitution considered to be influential on depression and the adjustment levels of adolescents from broken and unbroken families composed a significant diversity between groups. As to this finding, it was observed that the adolescents from unbroken families are more adaptable in respect of their personal and social adjustment levels than the students from broken families. It was also determined that perceived social suppport has a significant effect on depression and adjustment levels. It was stated that as social support increases, the adjustment level increases likewise and depression levels decreases; the adjustment level has a linear correlation with social support contrarily an inverse correlation with depression. Key Words Family, Broken Family, Adolescent, Social Support, Adjustment, Depression. * Correspondence: Figen ELMACI, M.A. ‹zmit Anatolian College, The Service of Psychological Counseling and Guidance. ‹nönü Street, 41100. Kocaeli- Turkey E-mail: figenelcin@hotmail.com Kuram ve Uygulamada E¤itim Bilimleri / Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice 6 (2) • May›s / May 2006 • 421-431 © 2006 E¤itim Dan›flmanl›¤› ve Araflt›rmalar› ‹letiflim Hizmetleri Tic. Ltd. fiti. (EDAM) 422 • EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY&PRACTICE We can define families as carrying a universal characteristic and being basic foundation of human socities, as a unity combined within common goals, reciprocal rights and duties (Worsley, 1980). Family, the influence of which on development of individuals is accepted as an undisputable and significant reality (Quoted by Özbay, 2004 from Adler, 1985; Ericson, 1964), comes out with its routine definition, that is, the married parents living together. With each passing day, we observe more frequently the cases in which there is absence of one parent due to reasons such as death, divorce, separation, or abandonment. (Gander & Gardiner, 1998). Consequently, today’s unbroken families do not correspond with traditional pattern relating to togetherness of mother, father and children (Arcus, 1992; D‹E, 1999; 2000; 2001; 2002). It is known that the dissolution of family unity brings along many changes with it in various areas for adult couples. Accordingly, significant psychological, social, and economical changes can occur in the lives of the children living in separated and divorced families (Leung & Robson, 1990). It is pointed in variaous research that the dissolution of family unity because of the reasons like divorce, separation, or death bears the risk of behavioral and emotional problems for children (Harland, Reijneveld, Brugman, Verloove, & Verhulst, 2002). Children can react in various ways to separation, divorce of their parents, and dissolution of their family constitution according to their development phases (Leung & Robson, 1990; Palmer 2002; Smart, 1980). Adolescents need the support of their parents and an atmosphere of trust. They can experience the decrease of parental support with the dissolution of family unity. They can experience emotions such as desperation and mistrust as a result of the decrease in the reliable characteristic of family atmosphere. Consequently, they can come across cases like stress and depression (Amato, 1993; Ekfli, 1990; Rosen, 1999; Weyburne, 2000). It is remarked in many research that there is a correlation between depression and negative life experiences such as living with a single parent, the divorce of parents, or a death in family (Brubeck & Beer, 1992; Sadock et al., 2003; Kayaalp, Demet & Büyükkal, 1999; Rosen, 1999; Rubenstein, Halton, Kasten, Rubin, & Stechler, 1998; Shapira, 1997). Aadditionally, in the cases of separation, divorce, and re–marriage of the parents, depression and stress in ado- ELMACI / The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents... • 423 lescents increase (Rubenstein et al., 1998; Gilman, Kawachi, Fitzmaurice & Buka, 2003). Barrera and Garison (1992) studied the effects of social environment on adolescent depression found that depression increases as the family and friend support decrease. They focused on the fact that adolescents perceiving mother-father and friends distantly display much more psychopathology and supportive relationships of parents and social environment are essential to adolescent’s health (Quoted by Bulut, 1996). Many studies in social psychology and health found that social support has important effects on appearance, course and duration of physical and psychological diseases (Cohen & Wills, 1985 ; Unger et al., 1998; Hugh, 2004). It is observed that social support has a significant function so as to protect psychological health against psychological damages caused by stressful life experiences. Thereof, it is considered that social support plays an important role in adolescents’ handling problems in the course of their development phases, protecting themselves in cases of stressful life experiences, crisis, and in their personal and social adjustments. As adolescents receive more social support from their families, friends, and the society, they show more physical health symptoms and less psychological symptoms. It can be more frequent and possible that they develop healthier personalities. In the light of this consideration, the role of social support was analyzed on depression and the adjustment levels of adolescents having broken and unbroken families in the present study. In this context, the answer to the question “do depression and the adjustment levels of adolescents having broken and unbroken families indicate a significant variance in respect of social support they perceive?” was searched. Method The data were collected from 203 adolescents (104 male (% 51.2); 99 female (% 48.8) selected from secondary schools in Kocaeli Provincial Centre, 101 of which are from unbroken families and 102 of which are from broken families. Of the students, 104 were male (%51.2) and 99 were female (%48.8). A mean age of the oarticipants was 16.46 years. In the study, the Hacettepe Personality Inventory (HKE) was used to collect the data about adolescents’ adjustment levels. The 424 • EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY&PRACTICE Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to collect the data about the depression levels. The Perceived Social Support Scale was used to collect the data on students’ perception of social support and personal information form was used to determine family constitutions. The HKE developed by Özgüven (1976) aims to determine personal characteristics of individuals, measure personal and social adjustment levels, diagnose clinic and normal cases and make mental health scans. The BDI consisting of 21 items is a self-assessment scale measuring the symptoms emerged in emotional and cognitive areas. In this research, the second form of the scale developed by A.T. Beck, A.J. Rush, B.F. Show, G. Emery in 1978 was used. Social support scale perceived multi-dimensionally was developed by Zimet and et al. (1988) for the aim of subjective assessment of social support sufficiency received from 3 different sources (Quoted by Eker & Arkar, 1995). The scale was translated into Turkish by Eker and after being checked by Arkar, it took its last form. In the research, it was investigated whether or not the adolescents’ personal adjustment, social adjustment, and depression levels differentiate in respect of their social support perception by two-way analysis of variance. In case F value is significant, the source of the variance was analysed by the Scheffe Test. Findings were accepted as % 95-confidence interval; thus, the significance level was accepted as p < 0.05. Results As a result of analyses of variance, it was found that family constitution (F (1-198) = 9.28, p < 0.01) and perceived social support (F (2198)=18.124, p < 0.001) cause significant variance on personal adjustment scores of adolescents from broken and unbroken families. However, it was observed that the common effects of independent variables have no significance on personal adjustment scores (F (1198)=0.519, p > 0.05). It was found that personal adjustment means of adolescents from unbroken families are significantly higher than those of the ones from broken families. As perceived social support increases, adolescents’ personal adjustment increases. According to the results of two-way analysis of variance, social adjustment scores as to family constitution and social support, family ELMACI / The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents... • 425 constitution causes (F(1-198)=3.981, p< 0.05) significant variance; perceived social support causes (F(2-198)=15.612, p< 0.001) significant variance on adolescents’ social adjustment scores. However, it was observed that the common effects of independent variables have no significance on social adjustment scores (F(1-198)=0.014, p > 0.05). It was found that social adjustment averages of adolescents from unbroken families are significantly higher than the ones from broken families. As the perceived social support increases, adolescents’ social adjustment increases. According to the results of two-dimensional analysis of variance, on the depression scores of adolescents from both broken and unbroken families, family constitution causes (F(1-198)=6.916, p< 0.001) significant variance; perceived social support causes (F(2198)=32.250, p< 0.001) significant variance. However it was observed that the common effects of independent variables have no significance on depression scores (F(1-198)=2.857, p > 0.05). It was found that depression scale averages of adolescents coming from unbroken families are significantly lower than the ones who were coming from broken families. As the perceived social support increases, adolescents’ depression levels decrease. Discussion In the present research, it was investigated whether or not personal adjustment, social adjustment, and depression levels of adolescents of broken and unbroken families differentiated in comparison with family constitution and social support. Below there are discussion and suggestions related to these variables. As a result of the findings, family constitution affects adolescents’ personal adjustment levels. It is spotted that adolescents from unbroken families have much higher personal adjustment scores than the those who were from broken families. Moreover; family constitution has an important effect on adolescents’ social adjustment levels. It was observed that adolescents of unbroken families are socially more adaptable than the ones from broken families. It is well known that adolescence is a stage of develoment in which physical, emotional, and social changes are experienced. It is a time when family is accepted to be an important factor for the adolescent’s personal and social adjustment, for earning values to guide his/her behaviors and for lear- 426 • EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY&PRACTICE ning the social responsibilities (Kulaks›zo¤lu, 1999). When discussing the effects of environment on individuals, Adler especially focuses on the family. He specified that family prepares convenient environment for the child to develop a social sense; furthermore, he expressed that parents give love to their child(ren) so that he/she can grow up as a courageous and sociable individual and learn to set his/her life upon constructive efforts. Families have to support their child to develop his/her initiative ability and self-confidence (Adler, 1985). In the literature, there are findings indicating that adolescents experience adjustment problems as a result of dissolution of family unity (e.g., Ekfli, 1990; Harland et al., 2002; Leung & Robson, 1990). This indicates that family constitution has an important effect on adolescents’ adjustment levels. Studies point out that adolescents need parental support, an atmosphere of trust and love. Moreover, trust created by the family enables the adolescent to adapt to the changes emerging in this phase (Bulut, 1996). The positive relationships of the adolescent with the family have positive effects on his/her social adjustment (fiak›r, 1987). Research findings are parallel with the literature in this respect. It was observed that adolescents’ personal adjustment scores are significantly related with social support that they perceive. In other words, the perception of social support affects adolescents’ personal adjustment levels. As the social support perceived by adolescent inreases, his/her personal adjustment level increases as well. This finding overlaps with the findings that as the social support perceived from family and friends increases, problem solving skills and selfrespect increase (Taysi, 2000; Ünüvar, 2003). Similarly, as the social support perceived from family and friends increases, problem solving skills increase (Budak, 1999). A diverse correlation is observed between the perception of social support, stress levels and psychological problems (Banaz, 1992). We can say that the atmosphere in which adolescents are loved, esteemed, and cared, the presence and avaliability of people they trust in affect their personal adjustment in a positive way. The social support that adolescents perceive causes significant diversity on their social adjustment scores as well. It was determined that as the perception of social support increases, the social adjustment of adolescents increases. This finding overlaps with the fin- ELMACI / The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents... • 427 dings that social acceptance increases self-respect. Being in the net of social relations provide individuals specificity and constancy. Social support sources affect the individual’s adjustment positively (Cohen & Wills, 1985). On this account, we can say that the social support perceived from close environment and society, the feeling of commitment to a social group or bilateral relations in which the adolescents are esteemed, thinking of themselves in a social system and supportive social interaction and relations smooth the adolescents’ social adjustment. Research findings show that family constitution have a significant effect on depression levels. According to this, it can be said that adolescents from broken families have higher depression levels than the ones from unbroken families do. Research finding overlaps with the findings of the pervious research. Many studies found that there is a correlation between negative life experiences - such as being with a single parent, divorce, a death in family- and depression (Kayaalp et al., 1999; Shapira, 1997; Rubenstein et al., 1998; Brubeck & Beer, 1992; Rosen, 1999; Sadock, Kaplan & Sadock, 2003). Similarly, in the case of separation, divorce, or re-marriage stress and depression levels increase in adolescents (Rubenstein et al., 1998; Gilman et al., 2003). It is indicated that adolescents can experience stress and depression owing to the feelings of desperation and mistrust caused by the decrease in parental support and family atmosphere as a result of dissolution of family unity (Amoto, 1993; Ekfli, 1990; Rosen, 1999; Weyburne, 2000). In a comparative longitudinal study (Storksen and his colleagues, 2005), it was found that the separation of parents increase the risk of anxiety and depression in adolescents in long term. Barera and Garison (1992) also indicate that when family and friend supports are low, depression increases. Moreover, adolescents who perceive rejection from their parents tend to show increased depression. This rejection also increases depression indirectly by decreasing self-respect. The findings of the presewnt study overlap with the literature. The findings indicate that the variances observed between depression levels are significant in respect of adolescents’ perceived social support; that the adolescents with high social support levels have moderate or low depression levels in comparison with 428 • EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY&PRACTICE the adolescents who had low social support levels; and that as social support increases, depression decreases in adolescents of both family types. This finding is parallel with the findings that as social support increases, psychological health grows beter. There is a significant negative correlation between social support levels, stres, and adjustment problems (Wolchik, Ruehlman, Braver, & Sandler, 1989). Similarly, there is a significant negative correlation between perceived family support and perceived psychological problems (Banaz, 1992). There is a significant correlation between social support and depression where as social support increases depression level decreases (Eker & Arkar, 1995). According to research findings, perception of social support is effective on adolescents’ depression levels. It was seen that as perceived social support increases, depression level decreases. This finding shows that supportive relations between parents and social environment are essential to the adolescent’s psychological health. In this respect, adolescents with low perception of social support have a risk for personal and social adjustment problems and depression. In the light of this information, it can be deducted that instructive, guiding and activating precautions and applications must be started for family and society. The question of how the method and content of these precautions and applications will be needs to be answered by new studies. On the other hand, it can be also considered that introduction of what factors will be related to the perception of social support can be useful to attain social support forces. As a result, it is thought that supportive relations provided by parents and social environment are beneficial to adolescents’ health. It is essential that opportunities of social environment and social support be increased and supportive relations be created to provide adolescents with skills for handling both the problems peculiar to adolescence and private problems in their families. Consequently, as adolescents receive more social support from their families, friends, and the society, they show more indications of physical health and less psychological symptoms. It can be more frequent and possible that they develop healthier personality. ELMACI / The Role of Social Support on Depression and Adjustment Levels of Adolescents... • 429 Kaynakça/References Adler, A. (1985). ‹nsan› tan›ma sanat› (çev. fi. Baflar). ‹stanbul: Dergah Yay›nlar›. Amato, P. R. (1993). Childrens adjustment to divorce theories, hypotheses and emprical support. Journal of Marriage and Familiy, 55, 23-28. Arcus, M. E. (1992). Family life education: Toward the 21st centruy. Family Relations. Banaz, M. (1992). Lise ö¤rencilerinde sosyal destek kaynaklar› ve stres ile ruh sa¤l›¤› aras›ndaki iliflki. Yay›mlanmam›fl yüksek lisans tezi, Ege Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, ‹zmir. Bayram, D. (1999). Bir grup genç de ruhsal belirti ve sosyal destek iliflkisi. 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