Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Angold, A; Costello, EJ
Published in: Am J Psychiatry
December 1993

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine comorbidity in the context of child and adolescent depression. METHOD: The authors reviewed recent epidemiological studies using standardized interviews and DSM-III or DSM-III-R criteria. RESULTS: There was a high rate of comorbidity in children and adolescents with major depressive disorders or dysthymia. Comorbidity with conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder ranged from 21% to 83%; comorbidity with anxiety disorder ranged from 30% to 75%; and comorbidity with attention deficit disorder ranged from 0% to 57.1%. Rates of depressive comorbidity found in community studies were similar to the rates found in clinical studies. In almost all cases, the disorders were more common in depressed children than expected by chance, and the rates of other disorders in depressed children were higher than the rates of depression in those with depression. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanisms by which comorbidity occurs are obscure at present. Several possibilities and their implications for nosology, epidemiology, and treatment research are discussed.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Am J Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

0002-953X

Publication Date

December 1993

Volume

150

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1779 / 1791

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Terminology as Topic
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Prevalence
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Comorbidity
  • Child Behavior Disorders
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Angold, A., & Costello, E. J. (1993). Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues. Am J Psychiatry, 150(12), 1779–1791. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.150.12.1779
Angold, A., and E. J. Costello. “Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues.Am J Psychiatry 150, no. 12 (December 1993): 1779–91. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.150.12.1779.
Angold A, Costello EJ. Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues. Am J Psychiatry. 1993 Dec;150(12):1779–91.
Angold, A., and E. J. Costello. “Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues.Am J Psychiatry, vol. 150, no. 12, Dec. 1993, pp. 1779–91. Pubmed, doi:10.1176/ajp.150.12.1779.
Angold A, Costello EJ. Depressive comorbidity in children and adolescents: empirical, theoretical, and methodological issues. Am J Psychiatry. 1993 Dec;150(12):1779–1791.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Psychiatry

DOI

ISSN

0002-953X

Publication Date

December 1993

Volume

150

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1779 / 1791

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Terminology as Topic
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Prevalence
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Comorbidity
  • Child Behavior Disorders