title: Depressive Symptoms, Ethnic Identity, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Obese Youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine relations between depressive symptoms, ethnic identity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in overweight or obese (OV/OB) children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 166 OV/OB 8- to 17-year-olds (M = 12.94 years; 86.7% obese; 50.6% racial/ethnic minority) attending an outpatient pediatric obesity medical clinic participated. Children completed the Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form, Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased depressive symptoms significantly predicted reduced total, physical, and psychosocial HRQOL. For minority OV/OB youth only, MEIM Affirmation/Belonging moderated depressive symptoms and total HRQOL (effect = -2.59, t = -2.24, p = .027; R(2) overall model = 0.315) and depressive symptoms and psychosocial HRQOL (effect = -3.01, t = -2.47, p = .015; R(2) overall model = 0.331).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Depressive symptoms are negatively associated with HRQOL. In minority OV/OB youth, high ethnic identity may be protective when depressive symptoms are minimal. Ethnic identity and other cultural factors are important to consider in psychosocial treatments for pediatric obesity.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, cstacklim@umc.edu.
authors: Crystal S
authors: CS
authors: Lim
authors: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, and.
authors: Marissa A
authors: MA
authors: Gowey
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida.
authors: Janet
authors: J
authors: Silverstein
authors: Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida.
authors: Marilyn
authors: M
authors: Dumont-Driscoll
authors: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, and.
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Janicke
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: children; culture; depression; obesity; quality of life