Peer victimisation and depression among gender conforming and non-conforming Thai adolescents

Abstract

Like most low- and middle-income countries, Thailand is facing an increasing burden of depressive disorders among adolescents, but research and services for them are largely neglected. This study explored the association between types of peer victimisation, gender non-conformity, health risk behaviours, and depressive symptoms among Thai students aged 13–18 years. Overall, prevalence of depressive symptoms was 14.7% (95% CI: 12.6–15.6), 12.2% (95% CI: 9.5–13.9) among male students and 16.5% (95% CI: 13.8–18.0) among female students. Among both sexes, social and sexual victimisation in the past month were strongly associated with depressive symptoms in the past week. Gender non-conforming female adolescents, as well as male and female adolescents who had experienced sexual and social victimisation, had a high burden of depressive symptoms. Mental health professionals and educators working with young people in Thailand should consider assessment for clinically significant depressive disorders.

Keywords:

• Adolescent health
• affective disorders
• gender role
• peer victimisation
• depression

Notes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 “whether they are more or less masculine compared to other boys at school (for students who were assigned “male” at birth), and whether they are more or less feminine than other girls at school” with “whether they are more, equally, or less masculine compared to other boys at school (for students who were assigned “male” at birth), and whether they are more, equally, or less feminine than other girls at school (for students who were assigned “female” at birth).

Additional information

Funding

T. E. Guadamuz was funded by the US National Institute of Mental Health (K01MH085567). The study was funded by the Swedish International Development Agency and UNAIDS United Budget, Accountability and Results Framework (UBRAF) funding for UNESCO.