Abstract

The aims of this study are to determine the prevalence of depression among children, and scrutinize the teacher-student relationship as predictor factor to depressive symptoms according to the children's perception. The Jordanian translation of Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was used in this study. The study was carried out among children in private and state schools within the age range of (7-13) in Amman city. The sample on which the study tools were applied consisted of 705 children. The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of moderate depression was the lowest (3.8%) at the age of 8 and the highest (5.8%) at the age of 11. The prevalence of severe depression was lowest (2.3%) at the age of 9 and highest (6.8%) at the age of 13. The results also show that there is no single cause of depression and it is difficult to separate the different causes. All the children with severe depression discuss how the teacher-student relationship as predictor factors to depressive symptoms. From the analysis of the results, specific reasons to teacher-student relationships that cause depressive symptoms are categorised into two basic factors these are: The teacher-student interaction, and peer influence.

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