The relationships between coping strategies and depression among Turkish adolescents

The relationships between coping strategies and depression were examined in a sample of 543 Turkish adolescents using a Turkish version of the Coping Across Situations Questionnaire (Seiffge-Krenke, 1995). MANOVA results revealed significant main effects for gender, school type and grade level in coping strategies. Females compared to males and adolescents from state high schools compared to adolescents from Anatolian high schools used higher levels of approach-oriented coping. Males compared to females, adolescents from state high schools compared to adolescents from Anatolian high schools and 9th graders compared to 11th graders used higher levels of avoidant coping. Four groups were formed to explore group differences in depression. ANOVA revealed that low generic copers (those who used low levels of both coping strategies) reported more symptoms of depression than high generic copers (those who used high levels of both coping strategies), approachers, and avoiders.