Comparison of depression and its components in primary school children with and without generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is probably the most prevalent disorder that has a high comorbidity with another psychological disorder including depression. The aim of present research was to compare depression and its components in primary school children with and without generalized anxiety disorder.

This research was a study with a causal-comparative design. The statistical population included all of the primary school students (fourth to sixth grade) of Arak province (Iran). Convenience sampling method was used to select the research sample. First, Children Depression Inventory and Generalized Anxiety Scale administered to 300 of these children. Then, based on the cut-off score of generalized anxiety scale (scores of 10 or higher) two groups of children with generalized anxiety disorder (n=39) and without generalized anxiety (n=40) were selected, and compared in terms of depression.

The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant difference in the linear composition of components of depression in the two groups. (P=0.016). Univariate analysis of variance also showed that children with generalized anxiety disorder were more depressed in the components of negative mood and negative self-esteem than children without generalized anxiety, but were not significantly different from them in the components of interpersonal problems, ineffectiveness and anhedonia. Independent T-test also did not show any difference in total score of depression of the two groups.

Due to the greater vulnerability of children with generalized anxiety disorder to depression, these children are more in need of specific methods of prevention and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and comorbid depression.