Although there is evidence that rates of depressive disorders increase during adolescence in girls, the data on the effects of age on depression in boys have been contradictory. In order to shed further light on this issue, the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) was administered to a general population sample of approximately 1,500 boys ages 6 to 15 years, during four annual interviews. Longitudinal analyses revealed a substantial decrease in reported depressive symptoms between the ages of 8 and 11. The implications of these findings for developmental epidemiological research on depression are discussed.
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