A Longitudinal Study of Depression in Nine-Year-Old Children

Abstract

Three groups of 9-year-old children identified as having current depressive disorder (N=17), a past depressive disorder (N=23), or no depressive disorder (N=81) were studied at ages 11 and 13. At both follow-up ages, both groups with depressive disorder at 9 years reported significantly more depressive symptoms than the comparison group. Parents of those experiencing depression at 9 also reported more depressive and “internalizing” symptoms in the children at follow-up. There was some evidence to suggest that depression was more persistent among boys compared with girls. Furthermore, there was a long-term association between depression and antisocial behavior in boys but not in girls. The results call into question the assumption that child and adult forms of depression are identical. © 1988, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. All rights reserved.