Behavioral problem trajectories and self-esteem changes in relation with adolescent depressive symptoms: a
Cherry Y Leung1,2, Gabriel M Leung1, C Mary Schooling3,4
1School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 1/F, 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, People's Republic of China.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|April 6, 2018
Summary
Sustained childhood behavioral issues and low self-esteem predict adolescent depression. These mental health trajectories can signal a need for early intervention in children.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Childhood behavioral problems and low self-esteem are known risk factors for depression.
- Longitudinal changes in these factors and their link to adolescent depression remain under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between childhood behavioral trajectories and changes in self-esteem over time with adolescent depressive symptoms.
- To identify early indicators for potential intervention.
Main Methods:
- Utilized parent-reported Rutter behavioral assessments and self-reported Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventories (SEI) from the "Children of 1997" Chinese birth cohort.
- Employed partitional clustering to define behavioral trajectories (ages 7-11) and analyzed self-esteem changes (ages 10-12).
- Used multiple linear regression to assess associations with depressive symptom scores (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) at age 13.
Main Results:
- Identified four distinct trajectories for behavior and self-esteem: stable low, declining, rising, and stable high.
- A stable high behavioral trajectory was linked to 1.23 more depressive symptoms compared to a stable low trajectory.
- Consistently low self-esteem was associated with 2.96 more depressive symptoms than consistently high self-esteem.
Conclusions:
- Sustained or worsening childhood behavioral problems and persistent low self-esteem are significant precursors to adolescent depressive symptoms.
- These findings highlight the potential of monitoring childhood behavioral and self-esteem trajectories as early warning signs for intervention.
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