DETERMINATION IN THE LEVELS OF DEPRESSION AND SELF-CONCEPT IN 9-13 YEARS OLD AGE GROUP CHILDREN LIVING IN ORPHANAGE

Dr. Ayşe Ocakcı
Zonguldak Karaelmas University
Meltem Kürtüncü
Marmara University

Abstract

This research is a descriptive study and planned to find out the levels of depression and self-concept of children aged between 9-13 years who were living in orphanage.

In the research participants who aged 9-13 were selected from orphanages in İstanbul. The number of participants were 132 and these children were selected from three orphanages as randomly.

As a whole 132 children participated in the research. In order to assess the depression level of children “Depression Inventory for Children” and to determine the self-concept level “Piers-Harris Children’s Self-concept Scale” were applied. Scale scores were between 0-80 and the higher scores were an indicator of more positive self-concept.

It has been found that 99.2 percent of children’s depression scores were over the depression limit. Means of children’s self-concept scale was 47.27 ? 10.26. There has not been found significant differences between Children’s Self-Concept scores and Depression Inventory for Children. Also it was also found that, when the children’s school success increased, total self-concept scale scores increased. As far as gender is concerned, there is no significant difference between self-concept scale scores.

Keywords
Children, depression, self-concept, orphanages.