Depression, Anxiety and Self-Image among Children and Adolescents

Abstract

A group of children and adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years were administered four questionnaires, Offer's Self-Image Questionnaire (OSIQ), Kovacs' Children Depression Inventory (CDI), Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and an inventory of items to assess Parental and Educational Attitudes (IPEA). Step-wise multiple regression revealed that trait anxiety was the most potent predictor of trait depression, together with emotionality, low self-confidence, inferior family relationships (parental tension), mental illhealth and impulsivity. Linear discriminant analysis was conducted to determine which Self-image scales were useful determinants of depression in two extreme depression scoring groups. Personality attributes rather than attitudinal dimensions appeared most highly related to depression, and this was not moderated by ethnicity. Adolescents scoring high on the depression scale further differed in their attitudes towards parents, siblings and school. They were more likely to complain about their relationship to their parents (low family involvement and cohesiveness), and to display low achievement motivation and obediency. A 2 x 2 ANOVA-using groups of anxiety/stable and external/internal respondents generated on the basis of their scores on the DIKJ and AS1 Offer scale-showed that although a main effect was found for anxiety (highly anxious respondents were likely to be more depressed) and externality (externals are more susceptible to depression than internals), a significant anxiety x externality interaction term was found: it was the combination of low self-confidence or externality and trait anxiety which seems to determine trait depression.

Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children: psychometric testing of the Chinese version

“…Our results revealed a strong, positive correlation between the Chinese version of the CES‐DC and CSAS‐C scores. The findings are consistent with those of previous studies (Kirkcaldy & Siefen 1998, Yip 2004) showing that children with greater anxiety have more self‐reported depressive symptoms.…”

“…Our results revealed a strong, positive correlation between the Chinese version of the CES-DC and CSAS-C scores. The findings are consistent with those of previous studies (Kirkcaldy & Siefen 1998, Yip 2004 showing that children with greater anxiety have more self-reported depressive symptoms. To test the instrument's factor structure more precisely, confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate whether the hypothesized 4-factor structure of the Chinese version of the CES-DC would fit the data adequately.…”

“…Convergent validity was established by finding correlations between scores on the Chinese version of the CES‐DC and CSAS‐C using the Pearson product‐moment correlation coefficient. Previous studies have shown that children with greater anxiety have more self‐reported depressive symptoms (Kirkcaldy & Siefen 1998, Yip 2004). We hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the Chinese version of the CES‐DC and CSAS‐C scores.…”

“…The term depression is a general concept and has been frequently used in Chinese culture to describe behaviours and emotions reported by children, such as feelings of sadness, helplessness and loneliness, loss of interest, appetite and sleep disturbance (Kirkcaldy & Siefen 1998, Yip 2004, Mok et al 2008. Nevertheless, before starting translation and use of an instrument with a new cultural group, it is crucial to ensure conceptual congruence of a construct.…”

The Role of Parentification and Family Climate in Adaptation Among Immigrant Adolescents in Israel

“…Deteriorating changes in family environments were strong predictors of the initiation of drug use among Hispanic immigrants (Gil, Vega, & Biafora, 1998). Immigrant adolescents who complained about their relationship with their parents (low family involvement and cohesiveness) scored higher on a depression scale and lower in achievement motivation (Kircaldy & Siefen, 1998).…”