Association of a mixed anxiety-depression syndrome and symptoms of major depressive disorder during adolescence

The relations between an empirically derived syndrome ofAnxiety-Depression and an analogue measure of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are examined in a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Analyses of parents' reports and adolescents' self-reports indicate that th ere is moderate correspondence between scores on the Anxious-Depressed synd rome and symptoms of the MDD Analogue. Furthermore, scores on the syndrome predicted MDD Analogue symptoms 3 years later with sensitivities ranging fr om .69 to .71 and specificities from .69 to .93. Meeting criteria for eithe r the Anxious-Depressed syndrome or the MDD Analogue was associated with lo w social or academic competence and high scores on other syndromes of psych opathology. Implications for integration of empirical/dimensional and categ orical/diagnostic approaches are highlighted.