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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Adolescent and Young Adult Psychiatry
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1395391
This article is part of the Research Topic Longitudinal Cognitive-Behavioral Characterization and Novel Interventions in Child Developmental Disability View all 5 articles

Depression severity and verbal comprehension in children and adolescents with a major depressive episode

Provisionally accepted
Trasolini Monia Trasolini Monia Giulia Serra Giulia Serra *Elisa Andracchio Elisa Andracchio Maria Elena Iannoni Maria Elena Iannoni Massimo Apicella Massimo Apicella Maglio Gino Maglio Gino Deny Menghini Deny Menghini Stefano Vicari Stefano Vicari
  • Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IRCCS), Rome, Lazio, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Severe depression is a prevalent psychiatric illness in children and adolescents associated with high levels of morbidity, disability, and high risk of suicidal behavior. Cognitive factors associated with depression severity in juveniles have been poorly reported. We investigated the relationship between depression severity and intelligence quotient (IQ) with its subscales in 65 juveniles (aged 10-17 years) with a current major depressive episode, evaluated at the Mood Disorder Program of Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome. Pearson correlation analyses were followed by Benjamini Hochberg correction, and linear multivariable regression model. Depression severity as measured with the total score of the Children Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS_R) was positively associated with Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI, Pearson's r = 0.309 [0.042 to-0.534]; p = 0.024). CDRS-R subscales positively associated with VCI by Pearson correlation were depressed feelings, suicidal ideation, excessive weeping and reduced facial expressions. Suicidal ideation was the only factor independently and significantly associated with higher VCI in multivariable linear regression model. Suicidal ideation was significantly and independently associated with higher verbal comprehension, indicating that depressed juveniles with better verbal ability might be a greater risk of showing suicidal ideation.

    Keywords: Adolescent, Major depressive, Intelligent quotient, verbal comprehension, Suicidal Ideation, Bipolar Disorder

    Received: 08 Mar 2024; Accepted: 30 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Monia, Serra, Andracchio, Iannoni, Apicella, Gino, Menghini and Vicari. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Giulia Serra, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IRCCS), Rome, 00165, Lazio, Italy

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