Mimicking of Depression-like Symptoms during a Natural Calamity

RUNNING HEAD: Mimicking of Depression-like Symptoms 1

Mimicking of Depression-like Symptoms during a Natural Calamity:

Do children mimic their mother’s depression-like symptoms during a natural calamity?

Aelius Hadrian D. Vinoya

Janrozl B. Campo

Julia Ann B. Astrero

Central Luzon State University

2013


Abstract

Mimicking of depression-like symptoms-like symptoms were measured with the use of three

different questionnaires. Participants are children of farmers, the population with the highest

probability to experience stressing problems with regards to natural calamities. There are three

questionnaire sets used to measure the child’s general disposition, the child’s perception of the

mother’s disposition during the natural calamity and the child’s disposition with the

consideration of his mother’s disposition during the natural calamity. Result yielded high interest

and promise but were non-conclusive.


Introduction

Natural disaster is a common event and it happens almost around the world, because of

this millions of people in every country are afraid to experience the disastrous power of natural

calamities. Natural calamity is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the

Earth; examples include floods, eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and other geologic processes.

Different outcomes can happen after a Natural calamity and that includes lost of shelter,

resources, and the worst of all it can also cause death.

When a natural calamity strikes especially heavy storm because it is the common

calamity happen in the Philippines, the number one affected of this are the farmers, after a heavy

storm or typhoons usually our farmers experience broken crops, in farming their primary source

of income are their crop and most of the time it is their only source of money, so broken crops

means no income, low income means each part of the family are affected. When the effects of

calamity strike in a family their children may also be affected in the situation and that effect may

cause to anxiety.

Literature said an elevation on depressive symptoms in children during a course of event

is significantly associated with elevations in depressive symptoms in their parents (John R. Z.

Abela, et al. 2009). this gives the possibility that if a parent experiences depression-like

symptoms-like symptoms it also possible that their children will also suffer and mimic it. Ellen

McGrath, states “Depression-like symptoms in a family can suck up all the energy of a

household, turning a home into a black hole of swirling negative emotions”. (2007)

Depression-like symptoms is like a flu that can be transmitted socially, from one family

member to another. The research aims to find out if the children manifest depression-like

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_hazard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunami

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/authors/ellen-mcgrath

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/authors/ellen-mcgrath


symptoms-like symptoms, to see if the children perceive depression-like symptoms-like

symptoms in their mother and if they get affected by seeing their mother that way and cause

them to think that they are the cause of their mother’s depression-like symptoms-like symptoms.


Methodology

Participants

The participants in this research are 50 randomly selected grade six students from Bantug

Elemantary School. The participants were chosen due to their being children of farmers, the

population who are highly affected by the natural calamity of typhoons. Though they were

considered because of their father’s occupation, it will not be considered a factor in the data

analysis. They were chosen only for their higher probability to be exposed to problems that could

trigger depression-like symptoms-;ike symptoms.

Research Design

This research is a quantitative type of research with three sets of questionnaires. Questionnaire

Set A would measure the disposition of the child in general, followed by Question Set B which

measures their perception of their mother’s disposition during the natural calamity then Question

Set C which measures their disposition after observing the disposition of their mother.

Instrumentation

The study used three sets of questionnaire measuring first, a self-eveluation of

depression-like symptoms-like symptoms, second, the perception of mother’s depression-like

symptoms and lastly a self-evaluation of depression-like symptoms with the depression-like

symptoms evaluation of their mother in mind. The first two test were a loose translations of the

instrument for Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression Scale for Children (Bright

Futures, 2010) or CES-DC and Child’s Perception of Depression–Mother Version (,2001) or

CPOD-MV scales while the last was a group designed instrument. Originally the CES-DC had


20 items reduced to 11 through the scale reliability test of Chronback’s Alpha and gained a

score of .743. The process was done with the CPOD-MV as well as the group designed

questionnaire. From a 20 item the CPOD-MV was reduced to 12 and gained a score of .689. The

group designed scale was reduced from a 12 to a 8 and gained a grade of .760. All questionnaires

used the Likert’s scale model with using words related to frequency and accuracy. The orginal

and translated questionnaires in Appendix A and reduced questionnaires in Appendix B.

Analysis

Comparing of means, tabular analysis and Chronback’s Alpha was used by the study to

acquire results from the data. Chronback’s alpha was used to reduce the questionnaire into the

most accurate it can be and then analyze the data. Comparing of mean was done with the help of

tabular analysis. After converting the data into a table, the study used the scale made by the

researchers; the mean for each questionnaire set of the respondents was measured against the

said scale. Two scales were made, one for set A and C and another for set B.


Results

Table 1

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R1 2.0000

R2 2.0000

R3 1.8182

R4 2.0273

R5 1.9091

R6 2.0909

R7 1.7273

R8 2.1818

R9 3.0000

R10 2.2727

R11 1.7273

R12 2.2182

R13 2.2455

R14 1.5455

R15 1.8182

R16 1.8213

R17 1.4545

R18 1.7273

R19 1.8182

R20 2.0000

R21 2.0000

R22 2.1818

R23 2.1091

R24 2.0909

R25 2.0909

R26 2.3636

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R27 1.9488

R28 1.8182

R29 2.4545

R30 2.1818

R31 2.0909

R32 2.0000

R33 2.3636

R34 1.0000

R35 1.1818

R36 1.2491

R37 2.0000

R38 1.8182

R39 1.6423

R40 3.3033

R41 2.1182

R42 2.4455

R43 2.0000

R44 2.0909

R45 1.8182

R46 2.0000

R47 1.7273

R48 1.6364

R49 2.1818

R50 1.8182


Table 2

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R1 1.1813

R2 1.0000

R3 1.4500

R4 1.4000

R5 1.4000

R6 1.2000

R7 1.4000

R8 1.4769

R9 1.0000

R10 1.0235

R11 1.6000

R12 1.2358

R13 1.2345

R14 1.4000

R15 1.6000

R16 2.3323

R17 1.0000

R18 1.2212

R19 1.6000

R20 1.3255

R21 1.6000

R22 1.6000

R23 3.7542

R24 1.6000

R25 1.2356

R26 1.3243

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R27 2.7514

R28 1.0243

R29 1.0000

R30 1.0293

R31 1.0444

R32 1.2000

R33 1.6667

R34 1.0000

R35 1.2000

R36 1.3812

R37 1.2038

R38 1.6000

R39 3.4769

R40 2.8612

R41 1.3049

R42 1.0596

R43 1.0477

R44 1.4000

R45 1.6000

R46 1.0000

R47 1.6000

R48 1.6000

R49 1.5135

R50 1.6000


Table 3

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R1 1.8571

R2 1.8571

R3 1.5714

R4 2.4286

R5 1.2857

R6 2.4286

R7 1.2857

R8 2.7143

R9 3.3846

R10 1.8571

R11 1.7143

R12 2.1429

R13 2.1429

R14 1.2857

R15 1.4286

R16 3.0000

R17 1.8571

R18 2.1429

R19 1.4286

R20 1.7143

R21 1.4286

R22 1.5714

R23 1.7510

R24 1.4286

R25 2.4286

Respondents Mean of

Answers

R27 1.2747

R28 1.5714

R29 2.1429

R30 1.7143

R31 2.0000

R32 1.1429

R33 1.7143

R34 1.0000

R35 1.1429

R36 3.0298


Legend

For question set A and C For question set B

1.00 – 1.75: very low 1.00 – 1.66: Few

1.80 – 2.50: low 1.70 – 2.36: Average

2.55 – 3.30: high 2.40 – 3.00: Many

3.35 – 4.00: very high

R9SETA – Respodent #9 Questionnaire Set A

R9SETB – Respodent #9 Questionnaire Set B R9SETC – Respodent #9 Questionnaire Set C

They are considered special cases due to the variety of their answer means (see Fig.1 & 2.) For instance,

Respondent number nine’s answer means, labeled Respondent 9 in Figure 1, relay that the child has high

presence of symptoms and very high presence of symptoms due to perception of depression-like

symptoms in mother yet the child’s perception of his mother was answered that there was only few

presence of symptoms perceived. Then we have Respondent 23 whose presence of symptoms is low and

is very low in the presences of symptoms due to perception of depression-like symptoms but has

answered that he/she perceives his/her mother has many symptoms manifested, implying that the child is

resilient and has a sturdier personality than his/her mother during the crisis. Respondent 27 also show

resilience with almost similar answers with Respondent 23 while Respondent 16 answers the studies

question implying that due to the mother’s tendencies of depression-like symptoms, 2.30, the child also

R37 1.0000

R38 1.4286

R39 3.7699

R40 3.6645

R41 1.7143

R42 1.0000

R43 1.7143

R44 1.2857

R45 1.5714

R46 1.7143

R47 1.4286

R48 1.4286

R49 1.7143

R50 1.4286


2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.9

R9 R16 R23 R27 R36 R39 R40

Mean answers for Questionnaire A 3 1.8213 2.1091 1.9488 1.2491 1.6423 3.3033

Mean answers for Questionnaire C 3.3846 3 1.751 1.2747 3.0298 3.7699 3.6645

Scal

e

Answer Means of Respondents

very low: 1.00 - 1.75 low: 1.80 - 2.50 high: 2.55 - 3.30 very high: 3.35 - 4.00

experienced higher symptoms of depression-like symptoms, 3.00, as opposed to his/her regular

disposition, 1.82.

Figure 1

Legend


1.00 – 1.75: very low 1.00 – 1.66: Few

1.80 – 2.50: low 1.70 – 2.36: Average

2.55 – 3.30: high 2.40 – 3.00: Many

3.35 – 4.00: very high

Another interesting case is Respondent 36 (see Fig. 2) whose presence of symptoms fall under

very low, presence of symptoms perceived fall under few yet his presence due to perception of

symptoms suddenly bolts up into the high category, the result for this respondent is non-

conclusive, researchers can only assume that the child loves his/her mother very much and is

concerned for her during the crisis. Respondents 39 and 40 have answers similar to that of


Respondent 16, the three cases that seem to support the claim the depression-like symptoms can

be contagious to the child especially during the strain of a crisis.

Figure 2

Legend


1.00 – 1.75: very low 1.00 – 1.66: Few

1.80 – 2.50: low 1.70 – 2.36: Average

2.55 – 3.30: high 2.40 – 3.00: Many

3.35 – 4.00: very high

In general, the results are non-conclusive and require further and deeper research. Accurate

instrumentation, apt respondents and higher level of analysis are suggested to directly answer the

question of contagiousness for this specific population. Ordinal Logistical Regression has

reached the interest of the researchers but lacks knowledge and skill to perform the analysis.

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

R9 R16 R23 R27 R36 R39 R40

Mean answers for Questionnaire B

1 2.3323 3.7542 2.7514 1.3812 3.4769 2.8612

Scal

e

Answer Means of Respondents

Few: 1.00 -1.66 Average: 1.70 - 2.36 Many: 2.40 - 3.00


References

Goodman, T. C. (2007). Children's Perceptions of Others' Depression-like symptoms Scale-

Mother Version (CPOD-MV).

Hernandez, B. (2008). THE CHILDREN’S COPING BEHAVIOR QUESTIONNAIRE:

Development and Validation.

Jennifer Katz, S. R. (1999). Contagious Depression-like symptoms in Dating Couples. Journal of

Social and Clinical Psychology.

John R. Z. Abela, S. Z. (2009). Contagious Depression-like symptoms: Negative Attachment

Cognitions as a Moderator of the Temporal Association Between Parental Depression-

like symptoms and Child Depression-like symptoms. Journal of Clinical Child &

Adolescent Psychology.

Joiner, T. E. (1994). Contagious depression-like symptoms: Existence, specificity to depressed

symptoms, and the role of reassurance seeking. Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology, 287-296.

McGrath, E. (2003, July 1). Is Depression-like symptoms Contagious?

Radloff, L. (1977). Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression-like symptoms Scale (CES-D).

Susan C. Duncan, J. R. (2012). A latent growth model of adolescent physical activity as a

function of depressive. Mental Health and Physical Activit.


Appendix A

CPOD-MV Scale

In every family, there are times when the parents get sad. People use different words or phrases to refer to those feelings, including: blue, down in the dumps, grouchy, irritable, in a bad

mood, or even depressed. When their parents seem to be sad (or whatever words you use), kids can feel a lot of different ways. For these questions, we want you to think about your mother.

We would like to know what kind of feelings you have when your mother seems to be sad.

Answer each question by saying if it is: T = True ST = Sort of True or F = False

1. *1 I never see my mother sad.

T ST F

2. *When my mom has been sad, she gets over it pretty quickly. T ST F

3. I’m usually to blame when my mother gets sad. T ST F

4. My mom stays sad for a long time. T ST F

5. I get scared when my mom gets sad. T ST F

6. My mom gets sad about things I’ve done at school. T ST F

7. When my mother gets sad, I worry that I’ll get sad like she does. T ST F

8. Even if she doesn’t say it, I know it’s my fault that my mother gets sad. T ST F

9. Most of the time my mother seems to enjoy things less than she used to. T ST F

10. It’s hard to talk to my mother when she’s sad. T ST F

11. *When my mother gets sad, I can usually help make her feel better. T ST F

12. When my mother gets sad, I’m afraid that something bad will happen. T ST F

13. *The things that make my mom sad have nothing to do with me. T ST F

14. After my mom has been sad, it takes a while for her to be happy again. T ST F

15. When my mother gets sad, there’s nothing I can do to help her. T ST F

16. *Usually it’s not my fault when my mother becomes sad. T ST F

17. My mother gets sad when I make mistakes. T ST F

18. *My mother pays attention to me even when she’s sad. T ST F

19. My mother often has times when she sleeps more or less than usual. T ST F

20. *I am good at helping my mother get over her sadness. T ST F

21. *My mother hardly ever yells at me when she’s sad. T ST F

1 * Indicates reverse scoring


Appendix B

II CES-DC Filipino

Sa ilalim ay isang listahan ng mga bagay na naramdaman o nagawa mo. Paki lagyan nang tsek () kung gaano mo

ito naramdaman nung panahon ng kalamidad.

Noong linggo pagkayari ng kalamidad Hindi Bihira Minsan Madalas

1. Naapektuhan ako ng mga bagay na dati naman __ ay

hindi ko pinapansin.

2. Wala akong gana kumain, hindi ako

nagugutom.

3. Hindi ko magawang maging masaya kahit

tinutulungan na ako ng aking pamilya o mga

kaibigan maging Masaya

4. Pakiramdam ko ay mabuti ako tulad ng ibang

bata.

5. Pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko kayang bigyan ng

karampatang attensyon ang aking mga

ginagawa.


6. Malungkot ako.

7. Pakiramdam ko ay masayado akong pagod para

gumawa na kahit anong bagay.

8. Pakiramdam ko may magandang mangyayari.

9. Pakiramdam ko ay hindi maganda ang

kinalabahsan ng mga bagay na nagawa ko.

10. Natatakot ako.


11. Hindi ako ganong nakatulog.

12. Masaya ako

13. Mas tahimik ako kumpara sa yuswal.

14. Malungkot ako at pakiramdam ko wala akong

kaibigan.

15. Pakiramdam ko ay ayaw sakin ng mga batang

kilala ko at ayaw nila akong makasama.


16. Nag-enjoy ako.

17. Gusto kong umiyak.

18. Malungkot ako.

19. Pakiramdam ko ayaw sa akin ng mga tao.

20. Nahirapan akong magsimula ulit.


III CPOD-MV Scale: Depression-like symptoms due to Environmental Calamities

Panuto: Lagyan ng marka ang mga sumusunod na pangungusap base sa pag sang ayon. T = Totoo MT = Medyo Totoo or H = Hindi totoo

22. *2 Kahit kailan hindi ko nakitang malungkot ang aking Ina. T MT H

23. *Kapag nalungkot siya, mabilis niya itong malimutan. T MT H

24. Kadalasan, kasalanan kung bakit siya malungkot. T MT H

25. Matagal malungkot ang aking ina. T MT H

26. Natatakot ako kapag malungkot ang aking Ina. T MT H

27. Nalulungkot ang aking Ina sa mga bagay na nagawa ko sa eskuwelahan. T MT H

28. Kapag nalulungkot ang aking Ina, inaala ko na baka maging malungkot ako gaya niya. T MT H

29. Kahit na hindi niya sabihin, alam ko na ako ang may kasalanan sa pagka-lungkot niya. T MT H

30. Kadalasan ay hindi na ganoon kasaya ang aking Ina sa mga bagay na nagbibgay aliw sa kanya. T MT H

31. Mahirap kausap ang aking Ina kapag malungkot siya. T MT H

32. *Kapag nalulungkot ang aking Ina, nakakatulong ako na mapasaya siya. T MT H

33. Kapag nalulungkot ang aking Ina, natatakot ako nab aka may masamang mangyari. T MT H

34. *Walang kinalaman sa akin ang mga bagay na nagpapalungkot sa aking Ina. T MT H

35. Kapag nalungkot ang aking Ina, matagal na ulit bago siya sumaya. T MT H

36. Kapag nalungkot ang aking Ina, wala akong magagawa para mapasaya siya. T MT H

37. *Kadalasan hindi ko kasalan kapag malungkot ang aking Ina. T MT H

38. Nalulungkot ang aking ina kapag ako ay nagkakamali. T MT H

39. *Pinapakinggan ako at pinapansin ng aking Ina kahit siya ay malungkot. T MT H

40. Mayroong mga panahon na sumosobra o nagkukulang ang oras ng kanyang tulog kumpara sa usuwal

niyang pagtulog.

T MT H

41. *Kayang-kaya ko tulungan ang aking ina na limutin ang kanyang lungkot. T MT H


IV Contagiousness of Depression-like symptoms

Panuto: Lagyan ng tsek () ang mga sumusunod na pangungusap base sa pagsang ayon.

Noong nakita kong malungkot si Nanay Hindi Bihira Minsan Madalas

1. Nalungkot din ako.

2. Naapektuhan ako ng mga bagay na dati naman

__ ay hindi ko pinapansin

3. Wala akong gana kumain, hindi ako

nagugutom.

4. Hindi ko magawang maging masaya kahit

tinutulungan na ako ng mga kaibigan maging

masaya.

5. Pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko kayang bigyan ng

karampatang attensyon ang aking mga

ginagawa.

6. Lagi kong iniisip ang pagkalungkot ni Nanay

Noong nakita kong malungkot si Nanay Hindi Bihira Minsan Madalas

7. Pakiramdam ko ay masayado akong pagod para

gumawa na kahit anong bagay.

8. Hindi ako ganong nakatulog.

9. Mas tahimik ako kumpara sa yuswal.

10. Gusto kong umiyak.

11. Nahirapan akong magsimula.

12. Pinanghihinaan ako ng loob.


Appendix B

Questionnaire Set A

Item-Total Statistics

Scale Mean if

Item Deleted

Scale Variance if

Item Deleted

Corrected Item-

Total Correlation

Cronbach's Alpha

if Item Deleted

wala akong gana kumain,

hindi ako nagugutom 18.0400 24.611 .282 .738

hindi ko magawang maging

masaya kahit tinutulungan na

ako ng aking pamilya o mga

kaibigan maging masaya

18.2200 24.134 .313 .735

pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko

kayang bigyan ng

karampatang atensyon ang

aking mga ginagawa

18.0600 21.364 .593 .693

pakiramdam ko ay masyado

akong pagod para gumawa na

kahit na anong bagay

18.0000 24.082 .328 .733

pakiramdam ko ay hindi

maganda ang kinalabasan ng

mga bagay na nagawa ko

17.7400 23.625 .349 .730

natatakot ako 17.7800 23.971 .319 .734

mas tahimik ako kaysa yuswal 17.6200 24.240 .371 .727

malungkot ako at pakiramdam

ko wala akong kaibigan 18.3000 24.582 .304 .735

pakiramdam ko ay ayaw sa

akin ng mga batang kilala ko

at ayaw nila akong makasama

18.3400 24.188 .367 .727

pakiramdam ko ay ayaw sakin

ng mga tao 18.4400 23.721 .449 .717

nahirapan akong magsimula

ulit 18.0600 21.813 .627 .691

Reliability Statistics


Cronbach's Alpha N of Items

.743 11


Questionnaire Set B


Scale Mean if

Item Deleted

Scale Variance if

Item Deleted

Corrected Item-

Total Correlation

Cronbach's Alpha

if Item Deleted

matagal malungkot ang aking

ina 24.2000 39.837 .297 .674

natatakot ako kapag malungkot

ang aking ina 23.2200 37.400 .321 .671

nalulungkot ang aking ina sa

mga bagay na nagawa ko sa

eskwelehan

23.2800 38.287 .260 .681

kapag nalulungkot ang aking

ina inaalala ko na baka maging

malungkot ako gaya niya

23.5000 38.378 .282 .677

kahit na hindi niya sabihin,

alam ko na ako ang may

kasalanan sa pagkalungkot niya

23.7200 38.369 .310 .672

kadalasan ay hindi na ganoon

kasaya ang aking ina 23.6000 37.551 .333 .668

mahirap kausap ang aking ina

kapag malungkot siya 23.7000 38.092 .292 .675

kapag nalulungkot ang aking

ina, natatakot ako na baka may

masamang mangyari

23.9000 37.439 .365 .663

kapag nalungkot ang aking ina,

wala akong magagawa para

mapasaya siya

24.4800 40.132 .304 .674

nalulungkot ang aking ina

kapag ako ay nagkamali 23.1400 34.572 .565 .629

pinapakinggan ako at

pinapansin ng aking ina kahit

siya ay malungkot

24.1400 40.164 .221 .684

kadalasan kasalanan ko kung

bakit siya malungkot 23.3600 37.419 .352 .665



.689 12


Questionnaire Set C


Scale Mean if

Item Deleted

Scale Variance if

Item Deleted

Corrected Item-

Total Correlation

Cronbach's Alpha

if Item Deleted

wala akong ganang kumain,

hindi ako nagugutom 13.1200 15.373 .623 .701

pakiramdam ko ay hindi ko

kayang bigyan ng karampatang

atensyon ang aking mga

ginagawa

13.2200 17.726 .396 .745

pakiramdam ko ay masyado

akong pagod para gumawa na

kahit anong bagay

13.4400 16.864 .570 .717

hindi ako ganong makatulog 13.1000 16.133 .494 .728

mas tahimik ako kumpara sa

yuswal 13.0600 17.935 .333 .756

gusto kung umiyak 13.1200 16.434 .435 .740

nahirapan akong magsimula 13.3600 16.929 .513 .725

pinanghihinaan ako ng loob 13.2800 18.165 .318 .758



.760 8

Mimicking of Depression-like Symptoms during a Natural Calamity

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