A further look at the prognostic power of young children's reports of depressed mood and feelings.
A primary objective of the present study was to determine the validity of first graders' self-reports of depressed mood and feelings. To that end, the prognostic power of first grade self-reports of depressed mood and feelings was examined with respect to later psychopathology and adaptive functioning in a population of urban school children (N = 946). First grade self-reports of depressed mood predicted later child academic functioning, the need for and use of mental health services, suicidal ideation, and a diagnosis of major depressive disorder by age 14. The prognostic power of these early self-reports suggests that children as young as 5 or 6 years of age are capable of providing valid reports of depressed mood and feelings.
Ialongo
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NS
Department of Mental Hygiene, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. nialongo@jhsph.edu
Edelsohn
G
G
Kellam
S G
SG
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014505:Urban Population