The relationship between motor hyperactivity and childhood depression was investigated in a group of 178 children referred for evaluation of school problems. 60% (n = 107) of the children fulfilled the modified Feighner criteria for primary childhood depression. 44% (n = 78) of the children had motor hyperactivity and 75% (n = 59) of these also showed depression. Terminal insomnia, somatic complaints, self-deprecation, episodic loss of interest in school and usual activities, social withdrawal, and preoccupation with death and dying were the symptoms which significantly differentiated depressed from non-depressed children.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AxelrodS.BaileyS. L.Drug treatment for hyperactivity: Controversies, alternative, and guidelines. Except. Child., 1979, 45, 544–550.
2.
BarkleyR. A.A review of stimulant drug research with hyperactive children. J. Child. Psychol. Psychiat., 1977, 18, 137–165.
3.
BarkleyR. A.CunninghamC. E.Stimulant drugs and activity levels in hyperactive children. Amer. J. Orthopsychiat., 1979, 49, 491–499.
4.
BlouinA. G. A.BornsteinR. A.TritesR. L.Teenage alcohol use among hyperactive children: A five-year follow-up study. J. ped. Psychol., 1978, 4, 188–194.
5.
BrumbackR. A.Depressive disorder in childhood. Amer. J. Psychiat., 1976, 133, 455.
6.
BrumbackR. A.Use of operational criteria in an office practice for diagnosis of children referred for evaluation of learning or behavior disorders. Percept, mot. Skills, 1979, 49, 299–311.
7.
BrumbackR. A.WeinbergW. A.Childhood depression: An explanation of a behavior disorder of children. Percept, mot. Skills, 1977, 44, 911–916. (a)
8.
BrumbackR. A.WeinbergW. A.Relationship of hyperactivity and depression in children. Percept, mot. Skills, 1977, 45, 247–251. (b)
9.
CantwellD. P. (Ed.) The hyperactive child: Diagnosis, management, current research. New York: Spectrum, 1975. Pp. 1–205.
10.
CantwellD. P.Drugs and medical intervention. In RieH. E.RieE. D. (Eds.), Handbook of minimal brain dysfunction: A critical view. New York: Wiley, 1979. Pp. 590–617.
11.
CantwellD. P.SatterfieldJ.The prevalence of academic underachievement in hyperactive children. J. ped. Psychol., 1978, 3, 168–171.
12.
ClemmensR. L.KennyT. J.Clinical correlates of learning disabilities, minimal brain dysfunction and hyperactivity. Clin. Pediat., 1972, 11, 311–313.
13.
CytrynL.McKnewD. H.Proposed classification of childhood depression. Amer. J. Psychiat., 1972, 129, 149–155.
14.
CytrynL.McKnewD. H.BunneyW. E.Diagnosis of depression in children: A reassessment. Amer. J. Psychiat., 1980, 137, 22–25.
15.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (3rd ed.) Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Assoc, 1980.
16.
EarlsF.Prevalence of behavior problems in 3-yr.-old children, a cross-national replication. Arch. gen. Psychiat., 1980, 37, 1153–1157.
17.
FrommerE. A.Treatment of childhood depression with anti-depressant drugs. Brit. med. J., 1967, 1, 729–732.
18.
GrossM. D.WilsonW. C.Minimal brain dysfunction. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1974.
19.
HagnellO.A prospective study of the incidence of mental disorders. Stockholm: Scandinavian Univer. Books, 1966.
20.
HelgasonT.The frequency of depressive states in Iceland as compared with the other Scandinavian countries. Acta Psychiat. Scand. Suppl., 1961, 162, 81–90.
21.
HuessyH. R.CohenA. H.Hyperkinetic behaviors and learning disabilities followed over seven years. Pediatrics, 1976, 57, 4–10.
22.
KenneyT. J.ClemmensR. L.HudsonB. W.LentzG. A.Jr.CicciR.NairP.Characteristics of children referred because of hyperactivity. J. Ped., 1971, 79, 618–622.
23.
KeoghB. K.Hyperactivity and learning disorders: Review and speculation. Except. Child., 1971, 38, 101–109.
24.
KilohL. G.NeilsonM.AndrewsG.Response of depressed patients to methylamphetamine. Brit. J. Psychiat., 1974, 125, 496–499.
25.
KovacsM.BeckA. T.An empirical-clinical approach toward a definition of childhood depression. In SchulterbrandtJ. G.RaskinA. (Eds.), Depression in childhood: Diagnosis, treatment and conceptual models. New York: Raven Press, 1977. Pp. 1–25.
26.
KragerJ. M.SaferD. J.Type and prevalence of medication used in the treatment of hyperactive children. New Engl. J. Med., 1974, 291, 1118–1120.
27.
KupermanS.StewartM.The diagnosis of depression in children. J. affect. Dis., 1979, 1, 213–217.
28.
LambertN. M.SandovalJ.SassoneD.Prevalence of treatment regimens for children considered to be hyperactive. Amer. J. Orthopsychiat., 1979, 49, 482–490.
29.
LererR. J.LererM. P.The effects of methylphenidate on the soft neurological signs of hyperactive children. Pediatrics, 1976, 57, 521–525.
30.
MargolinD. I.The hyperkinetic child syndrome and brain monoamines: Pharmacology and therapeutic implications. J. clin. Psychiat., 1978, 39, 120–130.
31.
MillichapJ. G.Definitions and diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction. In MillichapJ. G. (Ed.), Learning disabilities and related disorders: Facts and current issues. Chicago: Year Book, 1977. Pp. 3–11.
32.
PageJ. C.JanickiR. S.BernsteinJ. E.CurranC. F.MichelliF. A.Pemoline (Cylert) in the treatment of childhood hyperkinesis. 7. learn. Dis., 1974, 7, 498–503.
33.
PearceJ.Depressive disorder in childhood. J. child Psychol. Psychiat., 1977, 18, 79–82.
34.
PoznanskiE. O.KrahenbuhlV.ZrullJ. P.Childhood depression: A longitudinal perspective. J. Amer. Acad. child Psychiat., 1976, 15, 491–501.
35.
Puig-AntichJ.BlauS.MarxN.GreenhillL.ChambersW.Prepubertal major depressive disorders, pilot study. J. Amer. Acad. child Psychiat., 1978, 17, 695–707.
36.
Puig-AntichJ.ChambersW.HalpernF.HanlonC.SacharE. J.Cortisol hypersecretion in prepubertal depressive illness: A preliminary report. Psychoneuroendocrinol., 1979, 4, 191–197.
37.
RapoportJ. L.Pediatric psychopharmacology and childhood depression. In SchulterbrandtJ. G.RaskinA. (Eds.), Depression in childhood: Diagnosis, treatment and conceptual models. New York: Raven Press, 1977. Pp. 87–100.
38.
RapoportJ. L.MikkelsenE. J.Antidepressants. In WerryJ. S. (Ed.), Pediatric psychopharmacology: The use of modifying drugs in children. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1978. Pp. 208–233.
39.
RichmanN.StevensonJ.GrahamP.Prevalence of behavior problems in three-year-old children: An epidemiological study in a London borough. J. child Psychol. Psychiat., 1975, 16, 277–287.
40.
RiddleD.RapoportJ. L.A two-year follow-up of 78 hyperactive boys: Classroom behavior and peer acceptance. J. nerv. ment. Dis., 1976, 162, 126–134.
41.
RudolfG. deM.The treatment of depression with methylamphetamine. J. ment. Sci., 1956, 102, 358–363.
42.
SaferD. J.AllenR. P.Hyperactive children: Diagnosis and management. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1976.
43.
SatterfieldJ. H.CantwellD. P.SatterfieldB. T.Pathophysiology of the hyperactive child syndrome. Arch. gen. Psychiat., 1974, 31, 839–844.
44.
SchainR. J.ReynardC. L.Observations on effects of a central stimulant drug (methylphenidate) in children with hyperactive behavior. Pediatrics, 1975, 55, 709–716.
SwidlerH. J.WalsonP. D.Hyperactivity: A current assessment. J. Fam. Pract., 1979, 9, 601–608.
49.
WeinbergW. A.Delayed symbol language skills and their relationship to school performance. In SwaimanK. F.WrightF. S. (Eds.), The practice of pediatric neurology. St. Louis: Mosby, 1975. Pp. 898–911.
50.
WeinbergW. A.BrumbackR. A.Mania in childhood: Case studies and literature review. Amer. J. Dis. Child., 1976, 130, 380–385.
WeissG.HechtmanL.PerlmanT.HopkinsJ.WenerA.Hyperactives as young adults: A controlled prospective ten-year follow-up of 75 children. Arch. gen. Psychiat., 1979, 36, 675–681.
53.
WeissG.KrugerE.DanielsonU.ElmanM.Effect of long-term treatment of hyperactive children with methylphenidate. CMA Journal, 1975, 112, 159–165.
54.
WerryJ. S.Developmental hyperactivity. Pediat. Clin. North America, 1968, 15, 581–599.
55.
WhalenC.HenkerB.Psychostimulants and children: A review and analysis. Psychol. Bull., 1976, 83, 1113–1130.
56.
WinsbergB. G.PressM.BailerI.KupietzS.Dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate in the treatment of hyperactive/aggressive children. Pediatrics, 1974, 52, 236–241.
