Diana Harrington School of Social Ecology University of California, Irvine May 13, 2006 UROP Symposium Exploring Disagreement: Children’s & Mothers’ Reports of Children’s Moods

Children’s Moods Can children become depressed?Can children become depressed? Why do we care if they do?Why do we care if they do? Late Childhood and Early Adolescence (Larson et al. 2002)Late Childhood and Early Adolescence (Larson et al. 2002)

Who can tell us about children’s emotional states? The kids Their parents Do they say the same thing?

They do not. (Cole, 2000,2002; Muris, 2003) Other Existing Information Children's Expression and Experience of Depressive SymptomsChildren's Expression and Experience of Depressive Symptoms (Cole, 2002; Roza, 2003; Hankin, 1998) Differences between parents’ and children’s reportsDifferences between parents’ and children’s reports (Ferro, 1994; Fincham, 1998; Sorensen, 2005; Hankin 1998)

What We Do Not Know Are there Gender Differences in extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report?Are there Gender Differences in extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report? Are there Age Differences in extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report?Are there Age Differences in extent of (Dis)Agreement between Parents’ and Children’s Report?

Hypotheses 1.Correlations Between Mothers’ and Children’s Reports will be Positive but modest. 2. Older children’s reports will be more highly associated with mothers’ reports than will younger children’s reports. 3. Girls’ reports will be more highly associated with mothers’ reports than will boys’ reports.

Palmtop Partners Electronic Diary dataElectronic Diary data Parent-child interactions and moods throughout the dayParent-child interactions and moods throughout the day Mothers AND children’s responsesMothers AND children’s responses Dr. Carol Whalen Control groupControl group The Data:

The Participants Mother and child volunteers for a study involving 7 consecutive days of frequent electronic monitoring using PDAs Children ages ; mothers ages 30–51.6Children ages ; mothers ages 30– children 8 to 10.5 years of age;40 children 8 to 10.5 years of age; 38 children 10.5 to 12.9 years 44 boys and 34 girls44 boys and 34 girls

Data Analysis Correlational analysis of children’s reports with mothers’ reports of child’s moodsCorrelational analysis of children’s reports with mothers’ reports of child’s moods “Felt good about self”“Felt good about self” “Good mood”“Good mood” “Sad”“Sad” “Bored”“Bored” “Stress”“Stress” “Worried”“Worried” “Angry”“Angry”

Results: Do the data support the hypotheses?

1.Correlations Between Mothers’ and Children’s Reports will be positive but modest. Highest correlation for any age or gender group on any moodHighest correlation for any age or gender group on any mood r = 0.604** But some were really lowBut some were really low Negative moods They were all positive correlationsThey were all positive correlations

2. Older children’s reports will be more highly associated with mothers’ reports than will younger children’s reports. Yes– For 6 of 7 moodsYes– For 6 of 7 moods  Exception  Especially * significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01 * significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01

3. Girls’ reports will be more highly associated with mothers’ reports than will boys’ reports. Yes– For 5 of 7 moodsYes– For 5 of 7 moods  Especially  Exception * significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01 * significance at p < 0.05 ** significance at p < 0.01

Discussion: What does this all mean?

Parents’ and children’s reports are NOT interchangeable.

Why are correlations so low for the negative moods?Why are correlations so low for the negative moods? “Sad,” “worried”  “Bored” “Worried” & “Stress” confusion Speculations

Limitations Self Selection: Families that participateSelf Selection: Families that participate Definitions of moodsDefinitions of moods “Stress” Range of moods

Future Research What happens if the parent is a father?What happens if the parent is a father? Different Cultures & SESDifferent Cultures & SES Wider age range of childrenWider age range of children Larger sample sizeLarger sample size

Aknowledgments: Dr. Carol Whalen Natasha Emmerson Dr. Sharon Ishikawa Dr. Valerie Jenness UROP

References Cole, David A., et al. (2000). Structural differences in parent and child reports of children’s symptoms of depression and anxiety. Psychological Assessment. 17, Cole, David A., et al. (2000). Structural differences in parent and child reports of children’s symptoms of depression and anxiety. Psychological Assessment. 17, 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. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 111, 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. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 111, Ferro, Tova, et al. (1994). Depressive disorders: distinctions in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 33, Ferro, Tova, et al. (1994). Depressive disorders: distinctions in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 33, Fincham, Frank D., et. al. (1998). Children’s attributions in the family: The children’s relationship attribution measure. Journal of Family Psychology. 12, Hankin, Benjamin L., et al. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: emerging gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 107, Hankin, Benjamin L., et al. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: emerging gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 107, Larson, R., & Richards, M. H. (1994) Divergent Realities: The emotional lives of mothers, fathers, and adolescents. New York: Basic Books. Larson, R., & Richards, M. H. (1994) Divergent Realities: The emotional lives of mothers, fathers, and adolescents. New York: Basic Books. Larson, R. W., et al. (2002). Continuity, stability, and change in daily emotional experiences across adolescence. Child Development. 73, Larson, R. W., et al. (2002). Continuity, stability, and change in daily emotional experiences across adolescence. Child Development. 73, Muris, Peter, Meesters, Cor, & Spinder, Miranda (2003). Relationships between child- and parent-reported behavioural inhibition and symptoms of anxiety and depression in normal adolescents. Personality and Individual Differences. 34, Muris, Peter, Meesters, Cor, & Spinder, Miranda (2003). Relationships between child- and parent-reported behavioural inhibition and symptoms of anxiety and depression in normal adolescents. Personality and Individual Differences. 34, 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. American Journal of Psychiatry. 160, 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. American Journal of Psychiatry. 160, Sørensen, Merete Juul, et al. (2004) Age and gender differences in depressive symptomology and comorbidity: an incident sample of psychiatrically admitted children. Journal of Affective Disorders. 84, Sørensen, Merete Juul, et al. (2004) Age and gender differences in depressive symptomology and comorbidity: an incident sample of psychiatrically admitted children. Journal of Affective Disorders. 84, Steinberg, Lawrence (2002). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill. Steinberg, Lawrence (2002). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill.

-Thank you- Any Questions? Diana Harrington