School Performance in Childhood and Adolescence as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Adulthood

Abstract

The current study examined whether school performance in childhood and adolescence predicts depressive symptoms in adulthood over 12 to 21 years. Questionnaires measuring grade point average (GPA), having remedial education or incurring penalties during the current school term were obtained from parents when the participants were aged 9, 12 and 15. Depressive symptoms were selfrated by the participants 12 ( n = 971), 17 ( n = 990) and 21 ( n = 955) years later at ages 21 to 36. The results yielded no systematic associations between indices of school performance and later depressive symptoms across the age cohorts, genders and follow-ups. A lower GPA predicted depressive symptoms in the 12- and 15-year-old girls 12 and/or 17 years later; remedial education predicted depressive symptoms 21 years later in the 9-year-old girls, and 12 and 17 years later in the 9-year-old boys. The results suggest that the association between school performance and depression may not be straightforward and potentially involves other psychological mechanisms.

Mediators of the Associations Between Externalizing Behaviors and Internalizing Symptoms in Late Childhood and Early Adolescence

“…However, low academic achievement did not predict more internalizing problems as hypothesized. For girls, academic achievement was not related to later internalizing problems, which is consistent with some studies (Ansary & Luthar, 2009; Cole et al, 1996; Lehtinena et al, 2006) but not others (McCarty et al, 2008; Pomerantz et al, 2002). As discussed previously, the empirical support for the path from low academic achievement to internalizing symptoms is still mixed as reflected in the current study (Moilanen et al, 2010; Ansary & Luthar, 2009).…”

“…Chen et al, 1995). Consequently, the associations between academic achievement and internalizing problems are likely to be complex and involve other psychological mechanisms (Lehtinena et al, 2006). …”

“…Even though some studies found that early internalizing symptoms predicted poor academic achievement (Flook, Repetti, & Ullman, 2005; Hishinuma, McArdle, & Chang, 2012; Roeser, Eccles, & Sameroff, 2000), others did not (Ansary & Luthar, 2009; Cole et al, 1996; Patterson & Stoolmiller, 1991). Conversely, for the longitudinal association from poor academic achievement to internalizing symptoms, some results were significant (Morgan et al, 2008; Roeser et al, 2000; Herman, Lambert, Reinke, & Ialongo, 2008), but not others (Ansary & Luthar, 2009; Cole et al, 1996; Hishinuma et al, 2012; Lehtinena, Räikkönena, Heinonena, Raitakari, & Keltikangas-Järvinena, 2006). Significant associations between internalizing and academic performance have been attributed to symptoms of depression such as concentration problems, negative self-evaluations, and pessimism causing poor achievement (Roeser, Van der Wolf, & Strobel, 2001) or repeated academic failure resulting in negative emotions and attributions and depressive symptoms (X.…”

Self-Concept, Early Childhood Depression and School Retention as Predictors of Adolescent Depression in Urban Hispanic Adolescents

“…Our study also concurred with that of Lehtinen et al (2006) who found that lower GPA and remedial education were predictors of depression later on in life. Gender was found in this study to predict depression and concurs with the majority of School Psychology International (2008), Vol.…”

Evaluación de la sintomatología depresiva en el contexto escolar y variables asociadas

“…Los resultados muestran una correlación inversa y significativa entre la sintomatología depresiva y el rendimiento académico. De todos modos, la correlación entre la depresión y el rendimiento académico no era elevada (r = -.10), resultados que coinciden con los obtenidos por otros estudios (Brendgen et al, 2002;Cole, 1991;Herman et al, 2008;Kochenderfer y Ladd, 1996;Lehtinen et al 2006;Patterson y Stoolmiller, 1991;Roeser et al, 2001;Sletta et al, 1996;Torres, 1992). La sintomatología depresiva también estaba positivamente asociada a la ansiedad, al estrés social, al sentido de incapacidad y negativamente al ajuste personal, las relaciones interpersonales, la autoestima y a la confianza en sí mismo (ver Figura 4).…”