Adolescents' intentions to offer assistance to friends with depression or conduct disorder: Associations with psychopathology and psychosocial characteristics

Abstract

Aim: To describe adolescents' intentions to offer assistance to friends experiencing mental health problems and the associations with the adolescent's own psychopathology and psychosocial characteristics. Method: A survey study of 1143 students aged 12-17 years in schools in the Australian Capital Territory and South Australia. Respondents were given a vignette of a young person with either depression or conduct disorder and asked questions about how they would respond to a friend with the problem presented. First-aid responses were classified as social support, adult engagement and unhelpful responses. Adolescent psychopathology was measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire..