PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION AMONG MIDDLE-SCHOOL KUWAITI STUDENTS FOLLOWING THE IRAQI INVASION

The prevalence of depression among 1981 middle-school students (995 boys and 986 girls) in Kuwait was estimated using the Arabic Children's Depression Inventory. Cronbach coefficients alpha for their scores were .86, .88, and .87, for boys, girls, and the combined group, respectively. There were 3.7% of boys and 4.8% of girls who attained total scores greater than 2 SDs above the mean. It was noted that subjects who have a martyr or a POW in the family exhibited a significant difference on depressive symptoms. The boys obtained a mean of 44.2 whereas the girls obtained a mean of 42.5. Further, there was a significant correlation between scores on depression and report of stressful experience. An interpretation of this finding was provided.