Depressed mood in Chinese children: relations with school performance and family environment

Abstract

A sample of primary school children in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, participated in this 2-year longitudinal project. Information on the family environment, children's social functioning, academic achievement, and depression was collected from multiple sources. The mean depression scores in the Chinese children was found to be similar to those found for children in the West. Depression was positively associated with aggressive-disruptive behavior and negatively associated with social competence. School social and academic difficulties were concurrently and positively correlated with depression. Moreover, social adjustment problems at age 8 were associated with depression at age 10. Academic difficulties were predictive of later depression only for children from families in which the mother was rejecting and parents had a conflictual relationship. Finally, decline in social and academic performance was related to depressed affect.