Smoking and Depressive Symptoms among Children Ages 11 to 16 Years

Abstract

Relationships between cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms were analysed in a representative random sample of 1447 secondary-school children aged 11 to 16 years in Galicia (NW Spain). The sample comprised 797 boys (55.1%) and 650 girls (44.9%). Their mean age was 12.8 yr. ( SD = 1.2). Depressive symptoms, evaluated with the Children's Depression Inventory, were reported by 11.0% of children who responded they had never smoked, versus 23.7% of those who said they sometimes smoked, and 44.2% of those who identified themselves as current daily smokers. These results indicate an association between smoking and depression among children in this age group.