fa بررسی افسردگی دانش‌آموزان دبیرستان‌های دخترانه بیرجند General پژوهشي Research Article Background and Aim: Depression is one of the four major diseases in the world and the most common cause of disability due to problems during adolescence. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the level of depression in female students in Birjand.   Materials and Methods: This descriptive- analytical study was done on 450 female high school students in Birjand in 2009-10. Proportional stratified sampling was applied. The questionnaire was a validated 21 enquiries Beck Depression Iranian test and demographic information. The data were analyzed by Descriptive and deductive statistics and SPSS with 95% confidential interval.   Results: Most students were studying in the second grade (35.1%), the humanity field (23.1%), and public schools (57.8%). Their parents were mostly under high school educated (56.9%) and had free occupations (36. 2%) and were housewives (84.2%). Generally, students were 21-30 years younger than their parents. Mostly student were the middle child in sequence(42.2%) and had brothers and sisters and lived in a family with 4-6 children.158 cases (41.1%) were not depressed and 265 cases (58.8%) had depression. 30.2% of these were mildly depressed, 19.3% moderately and 9.3% severely depressed. Only depression was statistically significant related with the type of high school variable (P=0.006).   Conclusion: With regard to prevalence of depression in high schools, it is necessary to devise measures to identify and treat depressed students by mental health units and health centers in schools. Depression,Student girl,Beck test,High school 55 61 http://mcj.bums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-346&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Marzieh Mogharab مرضیه مقرب 10031947532846004491 10031947532846004491 Yes Instructor, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. Email: Mogh1344@yahoo.com عضو هیات علمی دانشکده پرستاری و مامایی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند. تللفن: 0561-4443041-9 پست الکترونیک: Mogh1344@yahoo.com Asma Shayeste Roudi اسماء شایسته رودی 10031947532846004492 10031947532846004492 No Nurse, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند Zeinab Rezaei زینب رضایی 10031947532846004493 10031947532846004493 No Nurse, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند Saboura Meliroudi صبورا ملی‌رودی 10031947532846004494 10031947532846004494 No Nurse, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند Maryam Hajinejad مریم حاجی‌نژاد 10031947532846004495 10031947532846004495 No Nurse, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند Kolsoum Salarkhani کلثوم سالارخانی 10031947532846004496 10031947532846004496 No Nurse, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran کارشناس پرستاری، دانشگاه علوم پزشکی بیرجند