School failure and depression

A study of 808 children in Seattle by researchers at the University of Washington has found that school failure (defined in the study as expulsion, suspension or dropping out of school before year 12) is linked to later depression in girls but not in boys. Overall 45% of the girls and 68% of the boys (who were drawn from a high-crime area in Seattle) had experienced a major school failure. 22% of the girls were suffering from depression, compared to 17% of the boys. Girls who were expelled from school were more than twice as likely to suffer from depression (44% vs 20%). They were also more likely to suffer from depression if they had dropped out (33% vs 19%) or if they had been suspended (28% vs 19%). There was no link between school failure and depression in boys.

You can read more about this research at

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/07/25/school-failure-depresses-girls/2657.html