Abstract
The goal of the current study was to examine the prospective relation between illness attitudes and depressive symptoms in
a sample of youth with juvenile rheumatic diseases (JRDs). Thirty children with JRDs completed the Child Attitude Toward Illness
Scale (CATIS) and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) on two occasions, approximately 1 year apart. Cross-sectional
and longitudinal analyses revealed significant CATIS – CDI associations, highlighting the link between children’s negative
illness attitudes and increases in depressive symptoms. Importantly, cross-lagged panel analysis demonstrated the statistical
predominance of the CATIS relative to the CDI, indicating that children’s illness attitudes were temporally antecedent to
children’s depressive symptoms over the course of a year. Findings provide evidence that children’s negative attitudes toward
illness constitute predisposing cognitive vulnerabilities for depressive symptoms, and suggest that interventions aimed at
modifying maladaptive illness attitudes may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in youth with JRDs.
a sample of youth with juvenile rheumatic diseases (JRDs). Thirty children with JRDs completed the Child Attitude Toward Illness
Scale (CATIS) and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) on two occasions, approximately 1 year apart. Cross-sectional
and longitudinal analyses revealed significant CATIS – CDI associations, highlighting the link between children’s negative
illness attitudes and increases in depressive symptoms. Importantly, cross-lagged panel analysis demonstrated the statistical
predominance of the CATIS relative to the CDI, indicating that children’s illness attitudes were temporally antecedent to
children’s depressive symptoms over the course of a year. Findings provide evidence that children’s negative attitudes toward
illness constitute predisposing cognitive vulnerabilities for depressive symptoms, and suggest that interventions aimed at
modifying maladaptive illness attitudes may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in youth with JRDs.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category ORIGINAL ARTICLE
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10882-012-9294-0
- Authors
- Rachelle R. Ramsey, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Margaret S. Bonner, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Jamie L. Ryan, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Larry L. Mullins, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- John M. Chaney, Oklahoma State University, 116 North Murray Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Journal Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities
- Online ISSN 1573-3580
- Print ISSN 1056-263X