Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify features of childhood depression by focusing on aggression, which has often been seen as more characteristic of depression in childhood than in adulthood. Participants were 469 parent-child pairs. Children (ages 8-12 years) provided self-reports on a depression measure, and completed a P-F study. Parents rated the temperament of their children. Anovas for P-F scores were conducted on two factors : depression and temperament. Of greater interest was the finding of a relation between depression and P-F scores (aggression). Children with a higher depression score reported more aggression towards others and less toward themselves, compared with children with low depression scores. In the age range studied, lack of depression apparently facilitates the development of introspection and the turning of aggression inward rather than toward others. Conversely, children with high depressive tendencies were relatively more likely to direct aggression toward others in immature ways. Compared with adulthood depression which is characterized by excessive introspection and guilt, our data indicate that childhood depression appears to be characterized by externalized aggression in daily life.
