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Depression scale scores in 8–17‐year‐olds: effects of age and gender
Author(s) -
Angold Adrian,
Erkanli Alaattin,
Silberg Judy,
Eaves Lindon,
Costello E. Jane
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/1469-7610.00232
Subject(s) - psychology , depression (economics) , mood , longitudinal study , developmental psychology , demography , clinical psychology , medicine , pathology , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Background: The excess of unipolar depression in females emerges in adolescence. However, studies of age effects on depression scale scores have produced divergent estimates of changes from childhood to adolescence. Method: We explored possible reasons for this discrepancy in two large, longitudinal samples of twins and singletons aged 8–17. Results: There were no differences between twins and singletons in their scores on the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), a 13‐item self‐report depression scale. SMFQ scores for boys fell over this age‐range, while those for girls fell from age 9 to age 11 and then increased from age 12 to age 17. The mean scores of girls under 12 and those 12 and over differed by only around one‐fifth of a standard deviation. However, given the non‐normal distribution of the scores, a cut point that selected the upper 6% of scores created the expected female:male ratio of 2:1. Conclusions: Implications for future research on adolescent depression are discussed.