[Developmental change of self-evaluation maintenance process and childhood depression]

The purpose of this study was to elucidate developmental changes in self-evaluation maintenance processes, and examine their relationship to childhood depression. Two questionnaires were administered to two hundred and one (201) elementary school children and three hundred and one (301) junior high school students. They were asked to rate their own performance on school subjects and school-related activities and those of close and distant classmates, as well as the degree of relevance to their selves of each school subject and school-related activity. Their actual school performance indicated that not only fifth and sixth graders and junior high school students, but also third and fourth grade children showed self-evaluation maintenance. In addition, it was found that self-evaluation maintenance was related to some indices, separately measured, of childhood depression, especially cognitive measures.