Diana HarringtonDiana Harrington

School of Social EcologySchool of Social Ecology

University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine

May 13, 2006May 13, 2006

UROP SymposiumUROP Symposium

Exploring Exploring Disagreement: Disagreement:

Children’s & Mothers’ Children’s & Mothers’ Reports of Children’s Reports of Children’s

MoodsMoods

Children’s MoodsChildren’s Moods

• Can children become Can children become depressed?depressed?

• Why do we care if Why do we care if they do?they do?

• Late Childhood and Early Late Childhood and Early Adolescence Adolescence ((Larson et al. 2002)Larson et al. 2002)

Who can tell us about Who can tell us about children’s emotional states?children’s emotional states?

The kidsThe kidsTheir Their

parentsparents

Do they say the same thing?Do they say the same thing?

They do not.They do not.(Cole, 2000,2002; Muris, 2003)(Cole, 2000,2002; Muris, 2003)

Other Existing InformationOther Existing Information

• Children's Expression and Experience Children's Expression and Experience of Depressive Symptomsof Depressive Symptoms

(Cole, 2002; Roza, 2003; Hankin, 1998)(Cole, 2002; Roza, 2003; Hankin, 1998)

• Differences between parents’ and Differences between parents’ and children’s reportschildren’s reports

((Ferro, 1994; Fincham, 1998; Sorensen, 2005; Ferro, 1994; Fincham, 1998; Sorensen, 2005;

Hankin 1998Hankin 1998))

What We Do Not What We Do Not KnowKnow

• Are there Are there Gender DifferencesGender Differences in in extent of (Dis)Agreement between extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report?Parents’ and Children’s Report?

• Are there Are there Age DifferencesAge Differences in extent in extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report?and Children’s Report?

HypothesesHypotheses

1.1. Correlations Between Mothers’ and Correlations Between Mothers’ and Children’s Reports will be Children’s Reports will be Positive but Positive but modest.modest.

2.2. Older children’s reports Older children’s reports will bewill be more highly more highly associated associated with mothers’ reports than will with mothers’ reports than will younger children’s reports.younger children’s reports.

3.3. Girls’ reports Girls’ reports will bewill be more highly associated more highly associated with mothers’ reports than will boys’ with mothers’ reports than will boys’ reports.reports.

Palmtop PartnersPalmtop Partners

• Electronic Diary dataElectronic Diary data

• Parent-child interactions Parent-child interactions and moods throughout and moods throughout the daythe day

• Mothers AND Mothers AND children’s responseschildren’s responses

Dr. Carol WhalenDr. Carol Whalen

• Control groupControl group

The Data:The Data:

The ParticipantsThe Participants

• Mother and child volunteers for a study involving 7 consecutive days of frequent electronic monitoring using PDAs

• Children ages 8-12.9; mothers ages Children ages 8-12.9; mothers ages 30–51.630–51.6

• 40 children 8 to 10.5 years of age;40 children 8 to 10.5 years of age;

38 children 10.5 to 12.9 years38 children 10.5 to 12.9 years

• 44 boys and 34 girls44 boys and 34 girls

Data Analysis Data Analysis

•Correlational analysis of Correlational analysis of children’s reports with mothers’ children’s reports with mothers’ reports of child’s moodsreports of child’s moods

• ““Felt good Felt good about self”about self”

• ““Good Good mood”mood”

• ““Sad”Sad”

•““Bored”Bored”

•““Stress”Stress”

•““Worried”Worried”

•““Angry”Angry”

Results:Results:

Do the data support the Do the data support the hypotheses?hypotheses?

1.1. Correlations Between Mothers’ and Correlations Between Mothers’ and Children’s ReportsChildren’s Reports will be positive but will be positive but modest.modest.

•Highest correlation for any age or Highest correlation for any age or gender group on any moodgender group on any mood

r = 0.604**r = 0.604**

•But some were really lowBut some were really low

Negative Negative moodsmoods

•They They werewere all positive all positive correlationscorrelations

2.2. Older children’s reports Older children’s reports will bewill be more more highly associated highly associated with mothers’ reportswith mothers’ reports than will younger children’s reports. than will younger children’s reports.

•Yes– For 6 of 7 moodsYes– For 6 of 7 moods

ExceptionException EspeciallyEspecially

Correlations Age

< 10.53 > 10.53

Felt Good About Self 0.371* 0.604**

Good Mood 0.353* 0.511**

Sad 0.13 0.227

Bored 0.126 0.543**

Stressed 0.436** 0.363*

Worried 0.105 0.204

Angry 0.192 0.441**

* significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01* significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01

3.3. Girls’ Girls’ reportsreports will be will be more highly more highly associatedassociated with mothers’ reports than with mothers’ reports than will boys’ reports.will boys’ reports.

•Yes– For 5 of 7 moodsYes– For 5 of 7 moods

EspeciallyEspecially

ExceptionException

ExceptionException

Correlations Gender

Boy Girl

Felt Good About Self 0.340* 0.571**

Good Mood 0.374* 0.471**

Sad 0.146 0.286

Bored 0.244 0.481**

Stressed 0.450** 0.293

Worried 0.083 0.289

Angry 0.442** 0.216

* significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01* significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01

Discussion:Discussion:

What does this all What does this all mean?mean?

Parents’ and children’s reports Parents’ and children’s reports are are NOT interchangeable.NOT interchangeable.

•Why are correlations so low for the Why are correlations so low for the negative moods?negative moods?

““Sad,” “worried” Sad,” “worried” “Bored”“Bored”

““Worried” & “Stress” Worried” & “Stress” confusionconfusion

SpeculationsSpeculations

LimitationsLimitations

•Self Selection: Families that Self Selection: Families that participateparticipate

•Definitions of moodsDefinitions of moods

““Stress”Stress”

Range of moodsRange of moods

Future ResearchFuture Research

•What happens if the parent is a What happens if the parent is a father?father?

•Different Cultures & SESDifferent Cultures & SES

•Wider age range of Wider age range of childrenchildren

•Larger sample sizeLarger sample size

Aknowledgments:Aknowledgments:

Dr. Carol WhalenDr. Carol Whalen

Natasha EmmersonNatasha Emmerson

Dr. Sharon IshikawaDr. Sharon Ishikawa

Dr. Valerie JennessDr. Valerie Jenness

UROPUROP

ReferencesReferences    Cole, David A., et al. (2000). Structural differences in parent and child reports of children’s symptoms of depression and anxiety. Cole, David A., et al. (2000). Structural differences in parent and child reports of children’s symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Psychological Assessment.Psychological Assessment. 17, 174-185 17, 174-185

  Cole, David A., et al. (2002). Individual differences in the emergence of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: a Cole, David A., et al. (2002). Individual differences in the emergence of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: a longitudinal investigation of parent and child reports. longitudinal investigation of parent and child reports. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 111, 156-165 111, 156-165

  Ferro, Tova, et al. (1994). Depressive disorders: distinctions in children. Ferro, Tova, et al. (1994). Depressive disorders: distinctions in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.Adolescent Psychiatry. 33, 664-670 33, 664-670

Fincham, Frank D., et. al. (1998). Children’s attributions in the family: The children’s relationship attribution measure. Fincham, Frank D., et. al. (1998). Children’s attributions in the family: The children’s relationship attribution measure. Journal of Journal of Family Psychology.Family Psychology. 12, 481-493 12, 481-493

  Hankin, Benjamin L., et al. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: emerging gender Hankin, Benjamin L., et al. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: emerging gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal PsychologyJournal of Abnormal Psychology. 107, 128-140. 107, 128-140

  Larson, R., & Richards, M. H. (1994) Larson, R., & Richards, M. H. (1994) Divergent Realities: The emotional lives of mothers, fathers, and adolescents.Divergent Realities: The emotional lives of mothers, fathers, and adolescents. New York: New York: Basic Books.Basic Books.

  Larson, R. W., et al. (2002). Continuity, stability, and change in daily emotional experiences across adolescence. Larson, R. W., et al. (2002). Continuity, stability, and change in daily emotional experiences across adolescence. Child Child Development. Development. 73, 1151-1165 73, 1151-1165

  Muris, Peter, Meesters, Cor, & Spinder, Miranda (2003). Relationships between child- and parent-reported behavioural inhibition Muris, Peter, Meesters, Cor, & Spinder, Miranda (2003). Relationships between child- and parent-reported behavioural inhibition and symptoms of anxiety and depression in normal adolescents. and symptoms of anxiety and depression in normal adolescents. Personality and Individual Differences.Personality and Individual Differences. 34, 759-771 34, 759-771

  Roza, Sabine J., et. al. (2003). Stable prediction of mood and anxiety disorders based on behavioral and emotional problems in Roza, Sabine J., et. al. (2003). Stable prediction of mood and anxiety disorders based on behavioral and emotional problems in childhood: a 14-year follow-up during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. childhood: a 14-year follow-up during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. American Journal of Psychiatry.American Journal of Psychiatry. 160, 2116-2121160, 2116-2121

  Sørensen, Merete Juul, et al. (2004) Age and gender differences in depressive symptomology and comorbidity: an incident sample Sørensen, Merete Juul, et al. (2004) Age and gender differences in depressive symptomology and comorbidity: an incident sample of psychiatrically admitted children. of psychiatrically admitted children. Journal of Affective Disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders. 84, 85-9184, 85-91

  Steinberg, Lawrence (2002). Steinberg, Lawrence (2002). Adolescence.Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill. New York: McGraw-Hill.

-Thank you--Thank you-

Any Questions?Any Questions?

Diana HarringtonDiana Harrington

harringd@uci.eduharringd@uci.edu