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Self-reported depressive symptoms in first-grade children: developmentally transient phenomena?
G Edelsohn1, N Ialongo, L Werthamer-Larsson
1Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Insights
Depressive symptoms in young children are not transient, showing stability over time. These symptoms impact academic achievement and peer relations in first graders.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Investigating the persistence of depressive symptoms in early childhood is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
- Early identification of depressive symptoms can inform timely interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if self-reported depressive symptoms in young children are persistent developmental phenomena.
- To examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and key developmental tasks in first graders.
Main Methods:
- Epidemiologically defined sample of 1,313 first graders.
- Self-reported depressive symptoms assessed over a 4-month interval.
- Correlations analyzed between depressive symptoms and academic/social functioning.
Main Results:
- Children's self-reported depressive symptoms demonstrated significant stability over a 4-month period.
- Children in the highest depression quartile at baseline remained in the highest quartile at follow-up.
- Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with academic achievement, peer relations, and classroom attention.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported depressive symptoms in young children represent a stable condition, not merely transient developmental issues.
- Early depressive symptoms are linked to difficulties in crucial developmental areas, highlighting the need for early support.
- The stability of these symptoms and their impact underscores the importance of addressing childhood depression.
Abstract:
The question of whether self-reported depressive symptoms in young children represent more than transient developmental phenomena was examined in an epidemiologically defined sample of 1,313 first graders. Children's reports of depressive symptoms were relatively stable over a 4-month interval. The level of stability was particularly impressive for children initially in the highest quartile of depression, of all whom remained in the highest quartile at retest, 4 months later. In addition, depressive symptoms were significantly related to the negotiation of a number of salient developmental tasks at entrance to first grade, including academic achievement, peer relations, and attention/concentration in the classroom. Moreover, the relationships between depressive symptoms and the various indices of social and academic functioning remained stable over the 4-month test-retest interval.