Depression symptoms, communication and cooperation skills, and friendship: longitudinal associations in young Norwegian children

Introduction: Symptoms of depression in early childhood have been linked to interpersonal difficulties, whereas friendships serve a protective function. Methods: In the present study, we examined depression symptoms in preschool age (4 years) in relation to social skills (communication and cooperation), and friendships into early school age (Grades 1 and 2) in a large subsample (n = 943) of Norwegian children.