Depressive symptomatology in childhood and adolescence

Antecedents of depressive symptomatology in childhood and adolescence were examined in a prospective longitudinal study of at-risk youth (n = 168) fro m families of lower socioeconomic status. Relations between family context factors, maternal depressive symptoms, and depressive symptoms in childhood and adolescence were examined, with a focus on early family relationship f actors rarely available for analysis in longitudinal data sets. Results sug gest the possibility of etiological differences between depressive symptoms in childhood and in adolescence. Depressive symptomatology in childhood wa s predicted by the overall family context. Cumulative effects of maternal d epressive symptomatology, early care lacking in emotional supportiveness, a buse, and family stressors were observed. Depressive symptomatology in adol escence, on the other hand, was specifically associated with maternal depre ssion and early care lacking in emotional supportiveness. Moreover, an intr iguing sex difference emerged: maternal depressive symptomatology was stron gly associated with depressive symptomatology in adolescence for females, b ut for males supportive early care appeared more relevant.