DIAGNOSTIC SUBGROUPS OF DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL-DISORDERS

One hundred and eighty-five adolescent inpatients with emotional and b ehavioral disorders completed two self-report measures of depression, the Children's Depression inventory and the Mood and Feelings Question naire, and a structured diagnostic interview of depression, the Diagno stic Interview Schedule for Children (Module C). Measures of depressio n were entered into a cluster analysis to determine subgroups of depre ssive symptom patterns. A five-cluster solution was obtained, with clu sters characterized as (a) Nondepressed, (b) Endogenous Depression, (c ) Depressed Mood with Subclinical Features, (d) Depressed Mood with Cl inical Features, and (e) Negative Cognitions. The consistency of these findings with clusters previously obtained in child, adolescent, and adult samples suggested a continuity of depressive presentations in ch ildhood. adolescence, and adulthood. Endogenous depression appears to be a robust subgroup of depression that is evident across the lifespan . A second subgroup of depression, characterized by negative cognition s and suicidal ideation In children and adolescents, may present in ad ulthood as a personality disorder with depressive features. Finally, t wo depressive subgroups characterized primarily by dysphoric mood may be distinguished by symptom severity. Depressed mood with subclinical features may occur as an isolated depressive syndrome in adolescents a nd adults. In contrast, depressed mood with clinical features in adole scence may represent the early stage of a clinical depression emerging In adulthood.