Life events and depression in children with pervasive developmental disorders

To determine the role of life events in the occurrence of depression in children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), we compared 11 patients (DSM-III-R; 9 male; 2 female; M age: 11.0 years; M full-scale IQ: 75.3) with PDD and depression, with an age- and sex-matched control group of patients with PDD without depression (DSM-III-R; 9 male; 2 female; M age: 9.8 years; M full-scale IQ: 60.6). Information was collected about the occurrence of unpleasant life events in the 12 months prior to the onset of depression. Depressed children experienced significantly more life events in the 12 months prior to the onset of depression. Exit events such as bereavement were more common in the depressed group. Findings suggest that, as in the general population, significant life events, particularly those with a negative impact, may contribute to the occurrence of depression in children with PDD. Future studies should explore the role of both biologic factors and environmental stressors in the onset of depression in this population.