A Latent Class Analysis of Depressive and Externalizing Symptoms in Nonreferred Adolescents

Abstract

Both depressive and externalizing symptoms are common in adolescence and often co-occur. The purpose of this study was to examine whether adolescents’ patterns of depressive and externalizing symptoms can be differentiated into discrete classes and whether these classes are best distinguished by the number or type of symptoms. We examined whether there are naturally occurring discrete classes of adolescents characterized by depressive symptoms only, externalizing symptoms only, or co-occurring depressive and externalizing symptoms. In this study, 2,187 nonreferred, public school sixth graders self-reported depressive and externalizing symptoms, and these symptoms were analyzed with latent class analysis. Six latent classes of depressive and externalizing symptoms were identified; classes differed primarily by the number, not type, of symptoms endorsed. Youth with elevations in one symptom type were likely to have elevations in the other symptom type. Approximately 5% of adolescents displayed clinically significant elevations in both depressive and externalizing symptoms. Implications for understanding the co-occurrence of depressive and externalizing symptoms in adolescence are discussed.