Learning Objective #1: Examine the relationship between stressors (age, family structure, household income, peer relationships, grades, satisfaction of grades, or health problems) and learned resourcefulness

Learning Objective #2: Examine whether learned resourcefulness has mediating or moderating effects on the relationship between stressors and depressive symptoms

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Depression in adolescents is a widespread problem, which may cause negative consequences in their mental health, including suicidal problems. Worldwide, the prevalence of this condition is twice as higher in females than in males. To understand and characterize further the factors that may affect the development of depression in female adolescents in Taiwan, a cross-sectional, correlational design was used to examine the relationships among stressors, learned resourcefulness, and depressive symptoms. Results from this study suggest that low household income, unsatisfaction with grades, perceived poor health state, and poor peer relationship were statistically significant stressors affecting the development of depressive symptoms. Adolescents with higher learned resourcefulness had lower depressive symptoms. In addition, learned resourcefulness mediated the effect of perceived health and peer relationships on depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that depressive adolescents were in need of psychosocial support at this stage of their life. Healthcare providers may use this knowledge to deliver coping strategies such as use of learned resourcefulness to prevent their suicidal potential.