Abstract
Depression is a prevalent mental health condition among adults, with increased rates on college campuses. There is little information on depression among graduate students and even less among social work graduate students. This study examined the generalized depression scores among graduate social work students (MSW) at California State University, Sacramento. This study also looked into the relationships between working and caregiving and depression symptoms. Additionally, an analysis of the weekly number of hours spent working or caregiving and the satisfaction levels of those duties was conducted. This quantitative study utilized a convenience sample of 106 MSW I and MSW II students. With the use of the BDI-II depression scale, the overall depression score of the sample was 13.28 indicting minimal depression. Students who were employed reported a mean score of 13.52, also indicating minimal depression. There were no relationships between the amount of hours worked or satisfaction with employment and depression. Students who indicated they are caregivers received a score of 14.90, indicating mild depression. There was a significant relationship between levels of satisfaction and depression, although there was no relationship between hours providing care and depression. Students who are caregiving while in a MSW program might need extra support. While this sample population was not as vulnerable to depression as previous research has indicated, depression among MSW students is a serious condition across college campuses and may be uniquely so for those that are caregivers.