ERIC Number: EJ933776
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Aug
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-006X
EISSN: N/A
Depression and Delinquency Covariation in an Accelerated Longitudinal Sample of Adolescents
Kofler, Michael J.; McCart, Michael R.; Zajac, Kristyn; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, v79 n4 p458-469 Aug 2011
Objectives: The current study tested opposing predictions stemming from the failure and acting out theories of depression-delinquency covariation. Method: Participants included a nationwide longitudinal sample of adolescents (N = 3,604) ages 12 to 17. Competing models were tested with cohort-sequential latent growth curve modeling to determine whether depressive symptoms at age 12 (baseline) predicted concurrent and age-related changes in delinquent behavior, whether the opposite pattern was apparent (delinquency predicting depression), and whether initial levels of depression predict changes in delinquency significantly better than vice versa. Results: Early depressive symptoms predicted age-related changes in delinquent behavior significantly better than early delinquency predicted changes in depressive symptoms. In addition, the impact of gender on age-related changes in delinquent symptoms was mediated by gender differences in depressive symptom changes, indicating that depressive symptoms are a particularly salient risk factor for delinquent behavior in girls. Conclusion: Early depressive symptoms represent a significant risk factor for later delinquent behavior--especially for girls--and appear to be a better predictor of later delinquency than early delinquency is of later depression. These findings provide support for the acting out theory and contradict failure theory predictions. (Contains 4 tables, 3 figures, and 4 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Delinquency, Females, At Risk Persons, Adolescents, Gender Differences, Depression (Psychology), Correlation, Longitudinal Studies, Males, Age Differences, Predictor Variables, Behavior Change, Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A