Tobacco Smoking and Depressed Mood in Late Childhood and Early Adolescence

Abstract:
This study builds on previous observations about a suspected causal association linking tobacco smoking with depression. With prospective data, the study sheds new light on the temporal sequencing of tobacco smoking and depressed mood in late childhood and early adolescence. The study sample consisted of 1731 youths attending public schools in a mid-Atlantic metropolitan area, who were assessed at least twice from 1989 to 1994. Results suggest that tobacco smoking signaled a modestly increased risk for the subsequent onset of depressed mood, but antecedent depressed mood was not associated with a later risk of starting to smoke tobacco cigarettes. This evidence is consistent with a possible causal link from tobacco smoking to later depressed mood in late childhood and early adolescence, but not vice versa.

Author(s): Li-Tzy Wu, James C. Anthony

Publication: Vol. 89, No. 12


Date Published: 12/1/1999

Pages: 4

Location Code: 8380