DEPRESSED MOOD AND PEER REJECTION IN CHILDHOOD

The purpose of the present study was to compare the depression profile of four subtYPes of peer-rejected children and a group of neglected c hildren to a normative sample and evaluate whether or not these subgro ups showed distinctive patterns. A total of 140 children were selected on the basis of peer status and peer assessment of social behavior. D epressed mood was evaluated by self-reports and peer assessments. As e xpected, withdrawn-rejected children expressed stronger feelings of de pression, both generally (i.e., higher Child Depression Inventory [CDI ] scores) and specifically (i.e., energy/interest), as well as more lo neliness and social dissatisfaction than the normative group. They wer e also seen by their peers as being sadder. The aggressive-withdrawn-r ejected children displayed results that were very similar to those of withdrawn-rejected children. They manifested stronger feelings of depr ession both generally (i.e., higher CDI scores) and specifically (i.e. , mood/affect) and expressed more loneliness and social dissatisfactio n than the normative group. They were also nominated more often as get ting their feelings hurt easily and as being usually sad. Contrary to expectations, aggressive-rejected children were also found to differ f rom the normative children but only on a general index of depression, not on the more specific measures nor on loneliness and social dissati sfaction. Also, they did not differ from the normative sample on the p eer assessment items. The neglected children did not differ from the n ormative sample on any of the self-report or peer assessment measures. The results concerning withdrawn-rejected and aggressive-withdrawn-re jected children suggest that peer rejection could play a mediating rol e with respect to feelings of distress and confirm that these children are at risk for internalizing problems. The pattern of results for ag gressive-rejected children suggests that peer rejection may not play s uch a role.