Abstract

GOMEZ-BUSTAMANTE, Edna Margarita; CASTILLO-AVILA, Irma  and  COGOLLO, Zuleima. Predictors of family dysfunction among adolescent students. rev.colomb.psiquiatr. [online]. 2013, vol.42, n.1, pp.72-80. ISSN 0034-7450.

Object: Determination of family dysfunction predictors in adolescent students of Cartagena, Colombia. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical research was conducted by means of a probabilistic sample per conglomerate of high-school students. Participation of students between 13 and 17 years was requested. Family dysfunction was identifed through the family APGAR scale. Predictors were adjusted by binary logistic regression. Results: A total of 1,730 students agreed to participate, mean age was 14.7 years (SD=1.2), and 52.7% were girls. The family APGAR scale showed a Cronbach alpha of 0.78. A group of 896 students (51.8%) reported family dysfunction. Predictors of family dysfunction were: clinically significant depressive symptoms (OR=3.61; IC 95%: 2.31-5.63), low religiosity (OR=1.73; CI 95%: 1.41-2.13), non-nuclear family (OR=1.71, CI 95% 1.71-2.09) (OR=1.73, 95% CI 1.41-2.13), non-nuclear family (OR=1.71, 95%: CI 1.41-2.09), consumption of any illegal substance in their lives (OR=1.67, CI 95%: 1.15-2.13), residents of depressed neighborhoods (OR = 1.49; CI 95%: 1.19-1.87), and poor academic performance (OR=1.43; CI 95%: 1.15-1.76). Conclusions: Clinically significant depressive symptoms, low religiosity and non-nuclear family are the main predictors of family dysfunction among adolescent students in Cartagena, Colombia. The association is possibly bidirectional.

Keywords : Family; family relations; adolescent; students; cross-sectional study.

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