Relations with Parents and with Peers, Temperament, and Trajectories of Depressed Mood During Early Adolescence

Abstract

The present study examined (a) whether groups of children can be empirically identified with distinct longitudinal profiles of depressed mood from late childhood through early adolescence, (b) to what extent these different longitudinal depression profiles are predicted by problematic relations with parents, same-sex peers, and other-sex peers, and (c) what role individuals' temperamental characteristics play in this context. Based on a sample of 414 early adolescents (197 girls), four groups were identified with distinct longitudinal profiles of depressed mood between ages 11 and 14: One group with consistently low levels of depressed mood, another with consistently moderate levels of depressed mood, a third group whose depressed mood increased sharply from late childhood through early adolescence, and a fourth group who already showed clinical-range levels of depressed mood during late childhood and whose depressive feelings increased even slightly more thereafter. Subsequent analyses revealed that rejection by same-sex peers was related to the odds of following an increasing trajectory of depressed mood, but only for girls with a highly reactive temperament. A problematic relationship with parents increased the odds of an elevated trajectory of depressed mood regardless of individual temperament. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Risk and protective factors associated with trajectories of depressed mood from adolescence to early adulthood.

“…Given these differences in risk profiles, it is worth noting that, by the end of the developmental period we examined, these four trajectories coalesced to form two distinct pathways, with the late escalating group displaying the highest level and the no, stable low, and early high declining trajectories displaying similar levels of depressed mood. No comparable pattern was noted in previous trajectory analyses that identified a group exhibiting increasing depressive symptoms (Brendgen et al, 2005;Repetto et al, 2004). However, this discrepancy may be due to the fact that our analysis covered a longer developmental period, and it was not until after age 18 that the late escalating depressed group diverged markedly from the other three trajectory groups.…”

“…Trajectory groups that were common across these studies were characterized by (1) consistently low and (2) consistently high depressive symptoms. Other trajectory groups showed consistently moderate, increasing, (Brendgen et al, 2005;Repetto et al, 2004) and decreasing (Repetto et al, 2004;Stoolmiller et al, 2005) depressive symptoms.…”

“…These studies have reported evidence for three (Rodriguez, Moss, & Audrain-McGovern, 2005) and four (Brendgen, Wanner, Morin, & Vitaro, 2005;Repetto, Caldwell, & Zimmerman, 2004;Stoolmiller, Kim, & Capaldi, 2005) trajectory groups. Trajectory groups that were common across these studies were characterized by (1) consistently low and (2) consistently high depressive symptoms.…”

Teacher support mediates concurrent and longitudinal associations between temperament and mild depressive symptoms in sixth grade

“…Empirical studies show that emotionality (or emotional reactivity) is related to depressive symptoms, such that higher levels of negative emotionality predict more anxiety and depression (Anthony, Lonigan, Hooe, & Phillips, 2002;Phillips, Lonigan, Driscoll, & Hooe, 2002). Children with high negative emotional reactivity in first grade (approximately 6-7 years) had increasingly or consistently high levels of depression in early to middle adolescence (approximately 11-14 years; Brendgen, Wanner, Morin, & Vitaro, 2005). Furthermore, high school students with difficult temperament, marked by characteristics of negative emotionality such as intense and negative mood, had higher levels of concurrent depressive symptoms Windle, 1991).…”

Childhood loneliness as a predictor of adolescent depressive symptoms: an 8-year longitudinal study

“…Both peers and parents are vital sources of social support during childhood and adolescence, and researchers have argued that it is important to examine the influence of both peer-and parent-related loneliness in relation to depressed mood [8]. In cross-sectional work conducted with adolescents, peer related loneliness is more predictive of depressive symptoms than parent related loneliness [41], possibly as peers are the preferred source of support throughout childhood and adolescence [63].…”