Depressive Symptoms Among Orphaned University Students in Thailand: The Role of Attachment Insecurity, Resilience, Inner Strength, and Perceived Social Support

Information from the abstract

Early parental loss may increase depression risk among orphaned university students, yet evidence from low- and middle-income countries such as Thailand remains limited. This cross-sectional study examined depressive symptoms and their associations with attachment insecurity, resilience, inner strength, and perceived social support among 226 Thai university students aged ≥20 years who had lost one or both biological parents before age 18. Participants completed validated Thai versions of the Outcome Inventory–Depression subscale, the Experiences of Close Relationships–Revised 10-item version, the 9-item Resilience Inventory, the Inner Strength-Based Inventory, and the revised Thai Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Multiple linear regression identified factors associated with depressive symptoms. The mean depression score was 6.62, with no significant difference between single and double orphans. Attachment anxiety (β = 0.176, p = 0.002) was significantly and positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas resilience (β = −0.322, p < 0.001), inner strength (β = −0.192, p < 0.003), and perceived social support (β = −0.156, p = 0.022) were significantly and negatively associated with depression. In contrast, attachment avoidance (β = 0.110, p = 0.068) did not reach statistical significance. Among orphaned students, depressive symptoms were more closely linked to psychosocial factors than to the specific type of parental loss (single vs. double orphanhood).

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Related topics: Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Family and Disability Support Research · Family Support in Illness