Mine CENGİZ, Yusuf AKTEPE, Burcu Demir GÖKMEN
Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences - 2026;11(5):342-352
BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate parent-reported depressive symptoms in children aged 3-6 years and to examine the relationship between these symptoms and the socio-demographic characteristics of the children and their parents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2025 and included 236 parents who were recruited by simple random sampling. Data were collected using a socio-demographic information form and the child depressive symptom scale. The results were summarized as counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations, and comparisons were made using Independent Samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Depressive symptom levels varied significantly among children, differing by age, sex, and child health-related factors, such as allergic or chronic diseases. In addition, family-related factors, particularly parental chronic illness, were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Children's depressive symptom levels differ according to certain child and family characteristics. The findings suggest that, when assessing the psychosocial well-being of young children, family-related characteristics, in addition to child-related factors, may also be taken into consideration. Further studies with larger sample sizes, longitudinal designs, and intervention-based approaches are needed to evaluate the potential benefits of psychoeducation and support programs for parents.
