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Reading Problems and Depressed Mood


File number :
CS-PC-41e

Bibliographic reference :
Maughan, B., Rowe, R., Loeber, R., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2003). Reading Problems and Depressed Mood. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31(2), 219-229.

Abstract :

The coexistence of reading problems and externalizing behavioural problems is well known, but the coexistence of reading problems and internalizing behavioural problems has been less documented. The authors of this American longitudinal study investigated this issue.

Research Questions
Four questions guided their research: (1) Can reading problems be associated with increased risks of students exhibiting depressed mood? (2) Can particular developmental trends be linked to such an association? (3) Can such an association be accounted for by aspects of family functioning or externalizing behavioural problems (e.g., ADHD)? (4) Is there any reciprocal effect of depressed mood on the development of reading skills?

Methodology
The data used were drawn from the six first assessments conducted as part of the Pittsburgh Youth Study. The sample involved boys only, since they were more at risk than girls of exhibiting reading problems. Three groups of about 500 students each were formed (1st, 4th and 7th grades). These students were the objects of several assessment waves conducted every six months. Data from the initial (screening) assessment and five subsequent assessments were used (waves 1 to 5).

Reading scores were obtained using the California Achievement Test at waves 0, 2 and 4. Depressed mood was assessed at waves 1, 3 and 5 using the Mood and Feeling Questionnaire. Evidence of disruptive behaviour was verified at wave 1 using the Revised Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. Data were also collected on delinquent behaviour and certain family characteristics that seemed to be related to depressed mood (socio-economic status, communication, supervision, use of physical punishment, child caretaker’s level of stress).

Main Results
Results from the study revealed that the boys with reading problems were three times more at risk of exhibiting depressed mood than those without any such problems. It appears that this occurrence was a short-term effect, because this association was observed only among the two groups of boys in 1st and 4th grades at the time of initial assessment (aged 7 to 10), but not among boys already in early adolescence at the time of initial assessment (7th grade).

To explain this finding, the authors hypothesized that the importance assigned to learning to read in early schooling affects the self-esteem of students with problems; once they reach adolescence, their self-esteem is influenced by other factors.

Aside from the fact that the families of boys with reading problems are likely to have a low socio-economic status, the other family characteristics considered in this study did not seem to account for the link observed between reading problems and depressed mood. In addition, the results did not allow concluding that this link could be explained by disruptive behaviour. Lastly, the results supported the premise that reading problems influence depressed mood and not the opposite. Indeed, reading problems remained stable across grades, suggesting that depressed mood did not influence their development.

For more information on the link between reading problems and behavioural problems, see Abstract CS-PC-05.



Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format. Publisher’s Website address: http://www.springerlink.com/content/104756/"

Key Words :

Reading Problems, Depressed Mood, Externalizing Behavioural Problems, Internalizing Behavioural Problems, Socio-economic Status, Pittsburgh Youth Study, Longitudinal Study, Newsletter11.

 



Monitored Countries :
United States