lled for urban and rural locations. Zahner, Jacobs, Freeman, and Trainor (1993) found a different outcome among a Connecticut sample in which the frequency of depression was higher among teenage girls in urban areas than among teenage girls in rural area.
The literature is not conclusive on the effect of rural or urban residency on the frequency of depression experienced by ninth grade girls. Thus, the findings of this current study were neither supportive nor contrary to any consensus finding on the issue reflected in the literature.
Discussion of the Findings Related to Variations in the Frequency of Depression Experienced among Ninth Grade Girls in Relation to Participation or Non-Participation in Extracurricular Activities
This current study did find that variations in the levels of depression experienced by ninth grade girls participating in extracurricular activities and those experienced by ninth grade girls not participating in extracurricular activities were statistically significant in relation to each of the four measures of depression included in this study. The study found further that group means for ninth grade girls participating in extracurricular activities were lower than the group means for ninth grade girls not participating in extracurricular activities in each of the four measures of depression included in this study.
Blair and Morrow (1997) found that participation in extracurricular activities was effective in relieving depression among adolescent girls. Kiesner, Poulin, and Nicotra (2003) found that participation in extracurricular activities led to higher levels of peer acceptance, which in turn correlated with lower levels of depression experienced by teenage girls. Chamberlain (2003) found that social isolation was associated with higher levels of depression experienced by teenage girls. In turn, participation in extracurricular activities reduced isolation and the frequency of depressive e...