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Does Child Likeability Mediate the Link Between Academic Competence and Depressive Symptoms in Early Elementary School?
Author(s) -
Herman Keith C.,
Hodgson Caroline G.,
Eddy Colleen L.,
Cohen Daniel R.,
Reinke Wendy M.,
Burrell Lori,
Mcfarlane Elizabeth C.,
Duggan Anne K.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13214
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , competence (human resources) , psychological intervention , structural equation modeling , social competence , depressive symptoms , clinical psychology , social change , psychiatry , social psychology , cognition , statistics , mathematics , economics , economic growth
The present study investigated the role of teacher‐rated likeability as a mediator of the relation between low academic competence and depressive symptoms in elementary‐aged children. Analyses focused on a sample of children at risk for child maltreatment living in Hawaii ( n = 380). Structural equation modeling supported the hypothesized negative relations between academic competence in first grade and depressive symptoms in third grade controlling for correlated constructs (e.g., baseline social avoidance, parenting stress, externalizing problems, and internalizing symptoms). Teacher‐rated likeability in second grade negatively mediated the effect of academic competence on depressive symptoms. Implications for understanding the role of early academic skill deficits and social judgments on risk for depressive symptoms as well as recommendations for interventions and prevention strategies are discussed.