Early Predictors of Adolescent Depression: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study

• NCJ Number: 228823
• Journal: Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 29 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2009 Pages: 664-692
• Author(s): James J. Mazza; Robert D. Abbott; Charles B. Fleming; Tracy W. Harachi; Rebecca C. Cortes; Jisuk Park; Kevin P. Haggerty; Richard F. Catalano
• Date Published: October 2009
• Length: 29 pages
• Grant Number(s): R001 DA08093-09
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the longitudinal relationships of elementary-age predictors to adolescent depression severity 7 years later.

Abstract

The results of the study showed that early elementary factors across different theoretical domains were predictive of depression severity 7 years later. However, most of the significant predictors were from the individual characteristic group, with some of the factors affecting adolescent depression differently for males and females, especially antisocial behavior for females. The overall findings indicate that selected family environment, individual characteristics, and psychological functioning day-to-day predictors during the elementary school years are related to adolescent mental health, specifically depression. Focusing on the developmental factors that lead to or are related to emergence of depression over time for school-based children, this study examined the longitudinal relationship of early elementary predictors to adolescent depression 7 years later. The sample consisted of 938 students who have been part of a larger longitudinal study that started in 1993. Figures, tables, notes, and references