DETERMINATION OF DEPRESSION TENDENCIES OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (ARDAHAN PROVINCE EXAMPLE)

Abstract

This research focuses on the determination of depression tendencies of public employees during the Covid-19 pandemic. In line with this objective, the impacts of some variables on depression tendency were tried to be investigated through a questionnaire study. In the analysis of the research data, descriptive statistics such as arithmetic mean, frequency, standard deviation, and percentage values were considered. It was first examined whether the scale data displayed normal distribution in order to determine whether parametric analysis would be performed for this study. Considering the research results, the outcome "no depressive symptoms" was reached as a result of the average scores obtained from each item of the Beck Depression Inventory. Accordingly, we can express that public employees have not had depression tendencies during the Covid-19 pandemic. No significant  difference was observed when we evaluated the depression tendencies of public employees according to the gender variable. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of the depression tendencies of public employees during the Covid-19 pandemic period according to the variables of age, period of service, tenure, educational background, and leisure time preference. Considering the analysis results regarding the self-definition variable, it was observed that the depression tendencies of public employees who define themselves as irritable and quick-tempered were found to be significantly higher than those of public employees who defined themselves as quiet, social and extrovert, and hyperactive.