The Impact of Major Depressive Disorder on the Academic Achievement of Australian Adolescents

Abstract

Academic achievement attained by adolescents is important for future career success as well as personal and social growth. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has the potential to adversely affect both academic outcomes and personal development. This thesis investigated the association between MDD and academic achievement in Australian adolescents. The thesis analysed de-identified data describing 13 to 15 year old’s, who participated in the second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (n=1077), undertaken in 2013 to 2015. Academic achievement was assessed using linked National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) scores of the students, and MDD was assessed using parent reports from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children version IV (DISC-IV). It was hypothesised that adolescents with MDD would have lower levels of academic achievement, and a higher percentage of days absent from school. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to assess the strength of the association between MDD and NAPLAN scores, and to identify if the association was modified by school absence. Although limited by a small number of participants with MDD, there was some evidence to support these hypotheses. The results suggested that adolescents aged 13 to 15 years with MDD may be more susceptible to lower academic outcomes, and higher school absence, as compared to their peers. The results contribute to the awareness and understanding of the association between MDD and academic achievement at a national scale.