Not myself and the connected self: cases of youth depression and recovery in Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore the subjective experience of depressed young people in Malaysia. Twelve participants aged 20–24, who were diagnosed as suffering from depression but who had recovered, were interviewed. An adapted grounded theory approach guided our data collection and data analysis process. Two themes emerged which revealed the importance of the connectedness of individuals within their social environment. Coping with cultural norms and with rejection were found to be the most stressful precursors to depression. Depression is described as an alienating and involuntary experience. The recovery process requires a pivotal moment which enables reconnection with others. Implication of study will be discussed against the backdrop of the Malaysian context.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• counselling in schools
• qualitative methods
• social constructionism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributor

Dr Jin KuanKok is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology & Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. Her research interests include narrative enquiries, school counselling models and mental health issues.

Mr W. Y. Lai is currently a postgraduate student at UTAR.

Additional information

Funding

This work was sponsored by UTAR Research Fund.