Ethnic and sex differences in children's depressive symptoms.
This study examined ethnic and sex differences in children's depressive symptoms, along with hypothesized mediators of those differences (academic achievement, peer acceptance), in a follow-up of African American (n = 179) and Euro-American (n = 462) children in Grades 3 to 5. African American boys reported more depressive symptoms than African American girls, and Euro-American boys and girls. Also, depressive symptoms of African American boys increased over time whereas depressive symptoms of the other groups decreased or remained stable. Academic and social competence deficits were associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms across the school year, although only academic achievement scores emerged as a unique predictor of increases in depressive symptoms over time. Neither academic nor social competence mediated the SexA xA ethnicity interaction in changes in children's depressive symptoms.
Kistner
Janet A
JA
Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301, USA. kistner@psy.fsu.edu
David-Ferdon
Corinne F
CF
Lopez
Cristina M
CM
Dunkel
Stephanie B
SB
D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012928:Social Desirability; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D001741:Black or African American