986 students (634 boys and 352 girls, aged 11-15 yrs) completed the Beck Depression Inventory to determine differences in level of depression among these groups. Results indicate that girls were more depressed than boys. Depression increased wth age, family size, social isolation, school failure, and economic difficulties. Factorial analysis reveals 5 factors: type of relation with parent, type of familial structure, education based on punishment, familial low income, and negative relationship between student and teacher. (Arabic abstract)