Citation

Herman KC, Hodgson CG, Eddy CL, Cohen DR, Reinke WM, Burrell L, Mcfarlane EC, Duggan AK. Child Dev. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Johns Hopkins University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/cdev.13214

PMID

30654412

Abstract

The present study investigated the role of teacher-rated likeability as a mediator of the relation between low academic competence and depressive symptoms in elementary-aged children. Analyses focused on a sample of children at risk for child maltreatment living in Hawaii (n = 380). Structural equation modeling supported the hypothesized negative relations between academic competence in first grade and depressive symptoms in third grade controlling for correlated constructs (e.g., baseline social avoidance, parenting stress, externalizing problems, and internalizing symptoms). Teacher-rated likeability in second grade negatively mediated the effect of academic competence on depressive symptoms. Implications for understanding the role of early academic skill deficits and social judgments on risk for depressive symptoms as well as recommendations for interventions and prevention strategies are discussed.

© 2019 Society for Research in Child Development.

Language: en