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Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Costello, EJ; Benjamin, R; Angold, A; Silver, D
Published in: J Affect Disord
December 1991

In a study to examine the variability of mood in psychiatrically disturbed adolescents, 30 inpatients aged 13-17 reported on current depressive symptoms three times a day for seven consecutive days, using a set of visual analog scales (the Adolescent Mood Scale: AMS) to record DSM-IIIR and other depressive symptoms. Ten of the patients had no depressive diagnosis; 11 had both a depressive and an 'externalizing' diagnosis (mainly conduct disorders and substance abuse disorders), and nine had depressive diagnoses but no externalizing disorder. Variability was defined in terms of (1) range of AMS scores; (2) amount of change from one test point to the next; (3) rhythmicity, measured by the autocorrelation function across 21 test points. All three groups had high levels of depressive symptoms throughout the week. On all measures of severity of depression, the depressed girls were more depressed than the depressed boys, irrespective of comorbidity. Measures of variability, however, showed no effect of sex, but comorbid patients were more likely to have a wide range of mood scores, and reported a 45% greater amount of mood change. Only five subjects had a significant lag1 autocorrelation function, and there was no indication of diurnal rhythmicity. Implications for research and diagnosis are discussed.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Affect Disord

DOI

ISSN

0165-0327

Publication Date

December 1991

Volume

23

Issue

4

Start / End Page

199 / 212

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Assessment
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospitalization
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Depression
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Costello, E. J., Benjamin, R., Angold, A., & Silver, D. (1991). Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients. J Affect Disord, 23(4), 199–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(91)90101-w
Costello, E. J., R. Benjamin, A. Angold, and D. Silver. “Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients.J Affect Disord 23, no. 4 (December 1991): 199–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(91)90101-w.
Costello EJ, Benjamin R, Angold A, Silver D. Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients. J Affect Disord. 1991 Dec;23(4):199–212.
Costello, E. J., et al. “Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients.J Affect Disord, vol. 23, no. 4, Dec. 1991, pp. 199–212. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/0165-0327(91)90101-w.
Costello EJ, Benjamin R, Angold A, Silver D. Mood variability in adolescents: a study of depressed, nondepressed and comorbid patients. J Affect Disord. 1991 Dec;23(4):199–212.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Affect Disord

DOI

ISSN

0165-0327

Publication Date

December 1991

Volume

23

Issue

4

Start / End Page

199 / 212

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Personality Assessment
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospitalization
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Depression