Adolescents' responses to peers with depression or conduct disorder

OBJECTIVE: To determine how young people are likely to respond to a peer with mental illness, or who has severe behavioural problems. METHOD: A mental health literacy survey was conducted with 1137 adolescents in years 8, 9 and 10 in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Respondents were presented with a vignette of either a 16-year-old boy meeting criteria for conduct disorder or a 16-year-old girl meeting criteria for major depression. As part of the survey, respondents were asked to write in words what they would do if the person in the vignette was a friend of theirs and they wished to help. Responses were coded into categories. RESULTS: Over half the sample (53%) described positive social support as the only action they would take to help. A further 23% said they would engage an adult such as a parent, teacher or school counsellor to help with the situation. Those responding to the conduct disorder vignette were more likely to describe engaging an adult to help and males were more likely to say they would do nothing. Female students tended to answer differently to the conduct disorder and depression vignettes, while male students responded similarly to the two vignettes. CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents do not respond to friends' distress in ways which are likely to facilitate appropriate help. Mental health education in schools should include skills for offering help and encouraging peers to seek help.