As a result, they tend to spend more time onlooking (watching other children without joining) and hovering on the edge of
social groups.8, 11 There is some evidence to suggest that young depressive children also experience
social impairment.12 For example, children who display greater depressive symptoms are more likely to be rejected by peers.10 Moreover, deficits in
social skills (e.g.,
social participation, leadership) and peer victimization
predict depressive symptoms in childhood.13, 14 There is also substantial longitudinal evidence linking
social withdrawal in childhood with the later development of more significant internalizing problems.15, 16,17 For example, Katz and colleagues18 followed over 700 children from early childhood to young adulthood and described a pathway linking
social withdrawal at age 5 years — to
social difficulties with peers at age 15 years — to diagnoses of depression at age 20 years.