Ian Barron, Anne Robertson Brown, Maxine Connor
The current study aims to encourage research into depression in children and adolescents who attend refuge to avoid domestic violence. A mixed-methods design involved analysis of refuge case files and a focus group of refuge workers (n=7). The latter explored the perception of depression in children and adolescents. File information, including
child characteristics, symptoms, and standardized depression screening scores, was held on forty-two children (7-18 years). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. A quasi-qualitative approach was used to analyze focus group data, including frequency counts of statements and codes. Results indicated 40% of
children (n=17) fitted the criteria for depression, four times the general child population. Refuge workers emphasized that agencies need to recognize the harm children experience, the resultant depression, and the need for support beyond medication. Research needs to explore child and adolescent depression before and after entering refuge and
include the child's perspective.
