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Association of a Mixed Anxiety-Depression Syndrome and Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder During Adolescence

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Abstract

The relations between an empirically derived syndrome of Anxiety-Depression and an analogue measure of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are examined in a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Analyses of parents' reports and adolescents' self-reports indicate that there is moderate correspondence between scores on the Anxious-Depressed syndrome and symptoms of the MDD Analogue. Furthermore, scores on the syndrome predicted MDD Analogue symptoms 3 years later with sensitivities ranging from .69 to .71 and specificities from .69 to .93. Meeting criteria for either the Anxious-Depressed syndrome or the MDD Analogue was associated with low social or academic competence and high scores on other syndromes of psychopathology. Implications for integration of empirical/dimensional and categorical/diagnostic approaches are highlighted.

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Gerhardt, C.A., Compas, B.E., Connor, J.K. et al. Association of a Mixed Anxiety-Depression Syndrome and Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder During Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 28, 305–323 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021632910823

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