Depressive Disorders in Maltreated Children

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of depressive disorders in a sample of 56 7- to 12-year-old maltreated children. Overall, 18% of the sample met the diagnostic criteria for major depression, and 25% met the criteria for dysthymia, with the majority of the children who met the criteria for major depression also meeting the criteria for dysthymia. Ratings of the different types of maltreatment children experienced, together with measures of the children's social supports, attributional style, and cortisol secretion were examined to determine which maltreated children were most likely to evidence a depressive disorder. A discriminant analysis conducted using a subset of these measures correctly classified 91% of the sample in terms of their diagnostic status.