Cognitive and social cognitive development of depressed children and adolescents.

Depressed juveniles show evidence of functional impairment in various cognitive and social domains. Actual school performance seems to be more consistently affected by depression than cognitive and intellectual abilities. In addition, depressed youth appear to be less socially adept than nondepressed peers, although depression does not consistently impair social-cognitive abilities. Indications that depressed youth show mild declines in tested verbal performance over time and that residual problems in social functioning persist after symptomatic recovery suggest that major depression may have negative effects on development in childhood.