Depression Stigma in Australian High School Students

To identify predictors of depression stigma in a group of Australian school students, participants (1,804 students aged 12–15 years) completed a questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, recognition of depression in a vignette, stigma towards a depressed peer, help-seeking intentions, information from teachers, and student mental health. The results suggested that depression stigma is a multidimensional construct with different factors predicting different aspects of stigma. Increased recognition of depression was associated with an increased belief in depression as a sickness rather than a weakness, but also with an increased belief that those with depression are dangerous and unpredictable. It is likely that multifaceted stigma-reduction interventions are needed, with emphasis on reducing the associations between depression and danger and targeting those of non-English-speaking backgrounds. The results of this study may be viewed in this journal article in Youth Studies Australia.