title: Pacific Islands Families Study: depressive symptoms in 9-year-old Pacific children living in New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigated associations between individual, maternal, cultural and socio-demographic variables with symptoms of child depression in 9-year-old Pacific children living in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  The longitudinal Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study is following a cohort of Pacific children born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2000. At approximately 9 years postpartum, child self-reports (n=858) of depressive symptoms were gathered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Being a victim or perpetrator of bullying, previous internalising behaviour problems and low maternal education were significantly associated with high child depression scores. Low depression scores were associated with children's positive perception of self, physical abilities, parental and peer relationships, high verbal intelligence, and high performance at school.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that building up child self-esteem and supportive relationships around the child are likely to reduce the risk of depression and these strengths may mitigate against bullying involvement.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Psychosocial Studies, AUT University, 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote, Auckland, New Zealand. Janis.paterson@aut.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lusitini
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D009035:Mothers; D009520:New Zealand / Q000208:ethnology; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000208:ethnology; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors