A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF ADOLESCENTS SELF-REPORTED DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - ARE RISK BEHAVIORS A STRONGER PREDICTOR THAN ANXIETY SYMPTOMS

This longitudinal study of adolescents from a Nova Scotia coastal town examined whether change in self-reported depressive symptoms could be predicted from adolescents' concurrent and prior reports of anxiety s ymptoms and risk behaviours. Questionnaires were completed by 131 yout hs (80 females, 51 males; 12-17 years) in their classrooms two years a part. Results showed that adolescents' concurrent reports of involveme nt in risk behaviours were linked to an increase in depressive symptom s only when they also were high on anxiety symptoms. Prior involvement in risk behaviours, but not prior anxiety symptoms, also predicted an increase in depressive symptoms. The importance of evaluating covaria tion among multiple types of symptoms and targetting the positive and negative consequences of risk behaviours for adolescents is discussed.