A Longitudinal Analysis of Body Image as a Predictor of the Onset and Persistence of Adolescent Girls' Depression. Working Paper No. 188.

Recently researchers have reported a relationship between body image and depression in early adolescents. This longitudinal study evaluated the importance of body image in the etiology of early adolescent girls' depression. Depression scores of female students (N=505) in grades 6 through 9 were assessed twice, in the fall (T1) and the spring (T2) of a school year. Groups of girls were identified as girls who were depressed at T1, some of whom remained depressed (Persistent Depressed girls, and some of whom improved by T2 (Remitting Depressed girls). Second were girls who were non-depressed at T1, some of whom remained non-depressed (Stable Non-Depressed girls) and some of whom became depressed by T2 (Onset Depressed girls). Discriminant analyses indicated that body image at T1 was more important to the prediction of persistence of depression (i.e., to discriminating Persistent Depressed from Remitting Depressed girls) than to the prediction of onset of depression (i.e., to discriminating Onset Depressed from Stable Non-Depressed girls). Results, therefore, clarify the relation between body image and depression and demonstrate the heuristic value of discriminating questions of onset and persistence in studies of the etiology of adolescent girls' depression. It seems wise to adopt the perspective that the etiology of adolescent depression will entail a complex interactive model, involving a number of biological, psychological, and/or social variables. (Author/ABL)