Linking oppositional behaviour trajectories to the development of depressive symptoms in childhood.
Oppositional defiant disorder in childhood is a predictor of later mood disorders. This study assessed whether groups of children can be identified by their course of co-occurring oppositional and depressive symptoms in childhood using group based trajectory modeling. Participants were a cohort of 932 4 or 5 year old offspring of women participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth whose symptom trajectories were modeled across ages 4-13 years. Three co-occurring trajectory groups were found: oppositional symptoms only (23%), oppositional symptoms preceding increasing depressive symptoms over time (16%) and absence of any symptoms (61%). Of all children who developed depressive symptoms, all had moderate or high levels of pre-existing oppositional symptoms. Oppositional symptoms typically precede, or co-occur with depressive symptoms in childhood.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada. boylank@mcmaster.ca
Khrista
K
Boylan
Tracy
T
Vaillancourt
Peter
P
Szatmari
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012737:Sex Factors