Depressive symptomatology in scholars of 12 to 16 years and their relationship with cognitive distortions

Abstract

The aims of this investigation have been the study of the presence of depressive symptomatology and their relationship with cognitive distortions in adolescent scholars. Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI, Kovacs, 1992), Peer Nomination Inventory of Depression (PNID, Lefkowitz y Tesiny, 1981) and Children’s Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (CDCN-1, Bas, 1987) have been administered on a representative sample of 908 Sevillian adolescents (aged 12 to 16). The results revealed an 11'78% of depressive symptomatology with an upward lineal tendency regarding the age and with superior scores in the case of women. The number of cognitive distortions has been related positively with the presence of this symptomatology. This point shows to be one of the main predictors of the punctuations in CDI. The depressive symptomatology keeps relation to the most important moments in the youth’s cognitive development. An increase of cognitive distortions has been appreciated on aged 13. Later on, this one stays constant. CDCN-1 is considered as an appropriate complement of CDI, on the contrary that PNID, probably for the process of internalization of depressive manifestations. You cannot grant a causal role on depression to the cognitive biases. It is suggested that the coincidence between CDI and CDCN-1 about raised scores is a sign of a high risk (vulnerability) to develop a first depressive episode.