@article{ref1,
title="Behavioral problem trajectories and self-esteem changes in relation with adolescent depressive symptoms: a longitudinal study",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2018",
author="Leung, Cherry Y. and Leung, Gabriel M. and Schooling, C. Mary",
volume="53",
number="7",
pages="673-684",
abstract="PURPOSE: Prospectively childhood behavioral problems and low self-esteem are associated with depression. However, these mental health changes over time have never been examined. This study assessed the association of childhood behavioral trajectories and self-esteem changes over time with adolescent depressive symptoms. <br><br>METHODS: Parent-reported Rutter behavioral assessments and self-reported Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventories (SEI) were obtained via record linkage from the Student Health Service, Department of Health (Hong Kong), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depressive symptom scores were obtained via active follow-up of the Hong Kong's Children of 1997&quot; Chinese birth cohort. Partitional clustering was used to generate homogenous trajectories between ~ 7 and ~ 11 years for Rutter scores. Changes in low self-esteem between ~ 10 and ~ 12 years were obtained from the SEI. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate their associations with depressive symptom scores at ~ 13 years. <br><br>RESULTS: Four trajectories/groups (stable low, declining, rising, and stable high) of Rutter score and self-esteem groups were created. The stable low behavioral trajectory was associated with the fewest depressive symptoms while the stable high trajectory had 1.23 more depressive symptoms [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.61] than the stable low trajectory. Consistently low self-esteem (stable low) was associated with 2.96 more depressive symptoms (95% CI 2.35-3.57) compared to consistently high self-esteem (stable high). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Sustained or worsening childhood behavioral problems and low self-esteem were precursors of adolescent depressive symptoms, and as such could be an early indicator of the need for intervention.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-018-1508-z",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1508-z"
}