Children's engagement in antidepressive activities

The relationship between depressive symptomatology and engagement in activities designed to cope with depression was examined among 42 children (8 to 14 years old), their parents, and 167 college students. The Beck Depression Inventory and Children's Depression Inventory were used to assess depression in adults and children, and adult and child forms of Rippere's (1977) Antidepressive Activity Questionnaire were employed to assess the frequency of engagement in and helpfulness of antidepressive activities. For children, depression was more strongly correlated with the helpfulness of than with the frequency of engagement in antidepressive activities; for adults, depression was more strongly related to the frequency than to the helpfulness of antidepressive activities. Girls reported that antidepressive activities were more helpful in combating depression than did boys; women engaged more frequently in antidepressive activities and found such activities more helpful in alleviating depression than did men. Little similarity was observed between the antidepressive activities of children and their parents.