Date of Award:

5-2012

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

Susan L. Crowley

Committee

Susan L. Crowley

Committee

Gretchen G. Peacock

Committee

Jamison D. Fargo

Committee

Michael P. Carey

Committee

Maria G. Norton

Committee

M. Scott DeBerard

Abstract

The depressive disorders are among the most common mental health problems with substantial financial and quality-of-life costs. Depression has generated considerable debate as to the underlying structure/taxonomy and continues to be frequently debated. Adolescents who meet diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder often experience anxiety (and vice versa). Therefore, understanding the underlying structure of depression as well as the co-occurrence of anxiety in a population of adolescents adds to our conceptual understanding of these disorders and facilitates treatment clarity.

This investigation sought to investigate the following research questions for adolescents’ self-reported symptoms of depression, and self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety in combination.

1. Are there latent subtypes or classes that can be identified from an in-patient sample?

2. How do the latent subtypes of depression and anxiety relate to clinical diagnoses?

3. How do participants in each latent class differ on age, gender, and symptom severity?

Results have implications regarding subtypes of adolescent depression and the comorbidity of anxiety among adolescents. Results contribute to our understanding of the taxonomic structure of categorical versus dimensional aspects of a mood diagnosis. Additionally, the benefit of our findings adds to our understanding of the subclinical features of anxiety that commonly co-occur with depression among juveniles. Results suggest a common construct of adolescent distress made up of features both depression and anxiety that fosters greater treatment clarity.

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This work made publicly available electronically on April 10, 2012.

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