Longitudinal patterning of depression repeatedly assessed across time among youth: Different trajectories in self-report questionnaires and diagnostic interviews.

Abstract

Developmental epidemiological work shows that rates of depression as assessed by diagnostic interviews increase from childhood through early adulthood. It could be assumed that the trajectory of depression as assessed by self-report questionnaire measures would be characterized by a similar pattern. We aimed to evaluate this assumption and more clearly establish the longitudinal trajectory of depression in youth, when repeatedly assessed over time with a self-report questionnaire and with a diagnostic interview. Participants were 679 youth ages 7–16 years at baseline (Mage = 11.8, SD = 2.4, 56% girls). They completed the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) every 3 months for 3 years (13 time points) and were interviewed every 6 months using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) to ascertain onset of depression diagnosis. A series of growth curve models was fit to the CDI and K-SADS data. A piecewise model characterized growth in depression as assessed by the CDI, with an initial negative linear slope (b = −0.64) spanning the first 3 assessments, and a positive quadratic second slope (b = 0.015; linear component: b = −0.22) spanning the remaining 10 assessments. Depression, as assessed by the K-SADS, grew continuously over time (a positive linear slope, b = 0.23). Findings illustrate differences between longitudinal trajectories of depression when assessed repeatedly by self-report questionnaire and diagnostic interview. Implications for research designed to study longitudinal depression trajectories are discussed.

The acute and persisting impact of COVID-19 on trajectories of adolescent depression: Sex differences and social connectedness

“…Taken together, the results support prior evidence and clinical theory suggesting that an increase in stress (in this case, stress related to COVID-19) and stress sensitivity during adolescence contributes to increases in depressive symptoms ( Hankin, 2015 ; Somerville et al, 2010 ), and that girls may have heightened stress sensitivity compared to boys in adolescence ( Bale, 2006 ; Bourke & Neigh, 2011 ; Conley et al, 2014 ; Goel & Bale, 2009 ; Rudolph, 2002 ), resulting in their faster and more extreme depressive reaction in response to COVID-19. The increases in depressive symptoms we observed over time were particularly important, given prior research showing that youth scores on self-report depression measures typically decline over time due to a repeated-measures effect ( Long et al, 2020 ). Also notable were the sex differences present in both level and trajectories of adolescent depression, because while it is well-established that adolescents demonstrate large sex differences in depression as measured by diagnostic interviews, these differences do not necessarily emerge when examining adolescent depression symptoms through self-report questionnaires like the CDI ( Long et al, 2020 ).…”

“…The increases in depressive symptoms we observed over time were particularly important, given prior research showing that youth scores on self-report depression measures typically decline over time due to a repeated-measures effect ( Long et al, 2020 ). Also notable were the sex differences present in both level and trajectories of adolescent depression, because while it is well-established that adolescents demonstrate large sex differences in depression as measured by diagnostic interviews, these differences do not necessarily emerge when examining adolescent depression symptoms through self-report questionnaires like the CDI ( Long et al, 2020 ).…”

Longitudinal Changes in Swiss Adolescent’s Mental Health Outcomes from before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Researchers assessing survey data from the earlier stages of the first COVID-19 wave have pointed to an apparent increase in the frequency and severity of symptoms of mental illness and distress [ 13 , 17 , 18 ]. However, the quality of most of the studies was restricted due to methodological limitations.…”

The Acute and Persisting Impact of COVID-19 on Trajectories of Adolescent Depression: Sex Differences and Social Connectedness

“…Taken together, the results support prior evidence and clinical theory suggesting that an increase in stress (in this case, stress related to COVID-19) and stress sensitivity during adolescence contributes to increases in depressive symptoms (Hankin, 2015;Somerville et al, 2010), and that girls may have heightened stress sensitivity compared to boys in adolescence (Bale, 2006;Bourke & Neigh, 2011;Conley et al, 2014;Goel & Bale, 2009;Rudolph, 2002), resulting in their faster and more extreme depressive reaction in response to COVID-19. The increases in depressive symptoms we observed over time were particularly important, given prior research showing that youth scores on self-report depression measures typically decline over time due to a repeated-measures effect (Long et al, 2020). Also notable were the sex differences present in both level and trajectories of adolescent depression, because while it is well-established that adolescents demonstrate large sex differences in depression as measured by diagnostic interviews, these differences do not necessarily emerge when examining adolescent depression through self-report questionnaires like the CDI (Long et al, 2020).…”

“…The increases in depressive symptoms we observed over time were particularly important, given prior research showing that youth scores on self-report depression measures typically decline over time due to a repeated-measures effect (Long et al, 2020). Also notable were the sex differences present in both level and trajectories of adolescent depression, because while it is well-established that adolescents demonstrate large sex differences in depression as measured by diagnostic interviews, these differences do not necessarily emerge when examining adolescent depression through self-report questionnaires like the CDI (Long et al, 2020).…”