A Longitudinal Analysis of Body Image as a Predictor of the Onset and Persistence of Adolescent Girls' Depression

Abstract

The importance of body image in early adolescent girls' depression was evaluated in a longitudinal study. Depression scores of over 500 girls were assessed twice, in the fall (TI) and spring (T2) of a school year, and four subject groups were identified: Persistent Depressed (depressed at Ti and T2); Remitting Depressed (depressed at Ti, nondepressed at T2); Onset Depressed (nondepressed at Ti, depressed at T2); and Stable Nondepressed (nondepressed at Ti and T2). Discriminant analyses indicated that body image at Ti was more important to the prediction of persistence of depression (i.e., to the discrimination of Persistent Depressed from Remitting Depressed girls) than to the prediction of onset of depression (i.e., to the discrimination of Onset Depressed from Stable Non depressed girls). Results therefore clarify the relationship between body image and depression and demonstrate the heuristic value of discriminating questions of onset and persistence of adolescent girls' depression.