The relationship between exposure to domestic violence and depression among adolescents aged 10–17 years in Kumi District, Uganda
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Date
2026-06-04
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
The current study investigated the relationship between the exposure to domestic violence and depression among adolescents from the age group of 10-17 years in Kumi District of Uganda. This study was conceived in the threefold objective: to determine the forms of domestic violence observed in adolescents, the level of depression among adolescents and to investigate the relationship between domestic violence and depression. A cross-sectional quantitative design was used in the research. 40 respondents were chosen using simple random sampling. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data which included a modified depression scale from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, and inferential statistics including the Chi-square test. They found that adolescents were also exposed to many forms of domestic acts of violence, especially verbal and emotional abuse. Most of the adolescents also experienced moderate to high levels of depression. In addition, it was also established that exposure to domestic violence was significantly associated with depression. The research concludes that domestic violence is a leading contributing factor to depression in adolescents in Kumi District. The research suggests interventions at the family, school and community levels to address these needs. This paper recommends, among other things, helping to address domestic violence and promote adolescent mental health.
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Undergraduate