Browsing by Subject "Depression in adolescence"
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Item Cognitive diathesis-stress theories and depression among adolescents in a residential treatment facility and a school setting(2004) Doxey, Meredith Ann; Stark, Kevin DouglasItem The connection between academic achievement and dpression among adolescent girls and boys(2008-12) Callicoatte, Alison Noel, 1970-; Crosnoe, RobertThis dissertation applies the life course framework to understanding gender differences in the connection between academic performance and mental health. The premise for this study is based on the paradox that girls perform better in school but get less of a boost to their sense of well being from their achievement relative to boys. The life course perspective focuses both on how different pathways, such as academics and mental health, intertwine and the need to study important transitions, such as the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. This research addresses this transition by considering the consequences of the gender paradox on college enrollment and persistence. The quantitative analyses utilize Waves I, II, and III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Results indicate that academic performance and depression were positively correlated for girls and negatively correlated for boys. Adolescent gender differences in depression are driven by the high achieving segment of the student population because girls tend to get less of a mental health boost from earning good grades across the board. This is especially pronounced in high school. The end result is a slight chipping away at the well-documented advantages girls have in postsecondary education.Item Examining interpersonal and cognitive factors associated with adolescent depressive symptomatology: a comparison of clinically depressed, subsyndromal, and normal control youth(2004) Hamff, Allison Lynne; Stark, Kevin Douglas.Depression, one of the most common mental disorders in adolescence, appears to be becoming an increasingly prevalent disorder in our society. In fact, it is speculated that early-onset depression has an even poorer and more protracted prognosis than depressive disorders that emerge during adulthood (Weller & Weller, 1991). Thus, considering the numerous difficulties associated with adult depression, it can be stated without reservation that depressive disorders in youth present a serious public health problem (Leon et al., 1993; Prosser & McArdle, 1996). Although much is known about depression in youth, the subclinically depressed population is not yet well understood. The current study is an exploratory investigation that seeks to provide a clearer picture of subclinical depression in adolescents, as well as a more thorough understanding of certain psychosocial factors associated with depression in adolescent populations. Specifically, the present study examined potential group differences and similarities between youth with clinical depression, subclinical depression, and youth exhibiting no depressive symptomatology. A variety of familial interpersonal variables, as perceived by the adolescents, namely cohesion, expressiveness, conflict, and critical maternal communication style, and their relationship to depressive symptomatology in these three diagnostic groups were examined. Additionally, associations between both familial and peer social support, also as perceived by adolescents, and depressive symptomatology were explored. Furthermore, youth’s perceptions of the self, world, and future, which together comprise the cognitive triad, were also examined. The identification of potential psychosocial variables on which depressive disorders and subclinical depression differ and are similar is an important task. In doing so, researchers will contribute to the development of better informed early intervention and prevention efforts designed to reduce the duration, severity, and associated complications of this disorder.Item Family functioning, cognitive vulnerability, and depression in pre- and early adolescent girls(2006) Gray, Jane Simpson; Stark, Kevin DouglasItem Gender differences in the consequences of depressive symptomatology for educational attainment, social support, and health risk behavior during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood: implications for health disparities in mid to late life(2006) Needham, Belinda LeeAnn; Umberson, DebraUsing data from three waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, I examine the association between mental health problems experienced early in the life course and factors that impact physical health later in the life course, including educational attainment, social support, and health risk behavior. In addition, I consider whether these associations are conditioned by gender, an important aspect of social structural context. I find that adolescent depression is associated with increased odds of failure to complete high school for girls but not for boys. Among high school graduates of both genders, depressive symptomatology is associated with failure to enter college. In each case, trouble paying attention in school, grade point average, and educational expectations mediate the association between symptoms of depression and school termination. Next, I find that social support and depressive symptomatology interact with one another in a dynamic fashion across the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Parental support during adolescence is inversely associated with initial symptoms of depression for girls and boys, although adolescent girls with low levels of parental support begin the study period with significantly higher levels of depressive symptomatology than their male counterparts. Furthermore, elevated symptoms of depression during adolescence negatively impact parent-child relationships during young adulthood. This association is stronger for girls than boys. Finally, I find that the association between depressive symptomatology and health risk behaviors is bidirectional. Adolescents who are initially more depressed begin the study period with substantially higher rates of binge drinking and drug use than their better-adjusted peers, yet they are less vulnerable to increases in these health risk behaviors across the transition to young adulthood. Also, adolescents who start out with higher than average cigarette, alcohol, and drug use experience a faster rate of decline in symptoms of depression over time compared to those who start out with lower levels of substance use. This association is more pronounced for girls than boys. Despite their faster rate of decline in depressive symptoms, girls and boys who have higher initial levels of substance use report higher levels of depressive symptomatology at all three time points.Item Interpersonal schemas of adolescents with depressive and disruptive disorders(2006) Ballatore, Melanie Elizabeth; Stark, Kevin DouglasItem Investigating the role of cognitive and behavior components in cognitive behavioral treatment for depressed early adolescent girls(2010-08) Patel, Puja Gandhi; Sander, Janay Boswell; Stark, Kevin Douglas; Keith, Tim Z.; Tharinger, Deborah; Kennard, Beth D.Depression is a significant mental health concern with a pivotal increase of incidence during adolescence, specifically for females. Currently, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely tested treatment for depression. Yet, it is unclear how CBT functions to produce effective outcomes. Adult studies have shown that behavioral components of CBT are more effective than cognitive components in reducing depression at acute treatment. Both behavioral and cognitive components have been shown to be effective in preventing relapse of depressive symptoms at follow up. Yet less is understood about how treatment components work together to provide positive outcomes, particularly for depressed youth. The overall goal of this study was to examine which parts of treatment (cognitive and/or behavioral) aid in symptom reduction and to determine if treatment outcome is mediated by cognitive change. Forty two pre-adolescent girls, aged 9-14, participated in a 20-session manualized group CBT program. The first portion of treatment (session 1-9) focused the behavioral intervention and the second portion of treatment (sessions 11-19) focused on cognitive interventions while continuing to reinforce behavioral interventions when necessary. Self report measures and diagnostic interviews were completed at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Using multiple regression analyses, the findings of this study supported the role of behavioral and cognitive interventions in reducing depression. Behavioral interventions were found to significantly reduce depression at post-treatment. Additionally, cognitive interventions were found to play a small, but significant role in post-treatment outcome, with preliminary evidence that cognitive interventions could also be linked to treatment outcome one year later. Treatment specificity could not be tested, as the cognitive change of depressed girls was not directly influenced by the behavior and cognitive interventions. Exploratory analysis demonstrated the significant role of behavioral techniques such as behavior activation, positive reinforcement, homework review, and skills training in predicting outcome of treatment. Implications of the results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Negative life events, family functioning, cognitive vulnerability, and depression in pre- and early adolescent girls(2008-08) Greenberg, Michelle Wendy, 1979-; Stark, Kevin DouglasPrevious research demonstrates a marked increase in the occurrence of depression during adolescence, particularly for females. Research has found that this phenomenon is associated with the development of beliefs about the self, world, and future (known as the cognitive triad), which constitutes a potential cognitive vulnerability to depression. Research has also demonstrated that family characteristics, such as cohesion, communication, conflict, social/recreational activity, negative life events, and maternal depression are all related to depression and the development of a negative cognitive style. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on negative life events, family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth, and analyze specific cognitive-interpersonal pathways to depression for girls transitioning from childhood to adolescence. 194 girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 participated in the study, along with their mothers. Participants completed self-report measures of family environment, beliefs about the self, world, and future, and negative life events. Mothers completed a self-report measure of psychopathology. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview, which served as the primary measure of depressive symptoms. As found in similar studies and consistent with Beck’s theory of depression, daughter’s reports of cognitive triad predicted the severity of her depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the cognitive triad was found to be the mediating variable in the model; family variables affected daughter’s beliefs, which then affected depressive symptom severity. Specifically, girls who endorsed higher family conflict and lower social/recreational activity reported a more negative cognitive triad and subsequently higher levels of depression. Additionally, negative life events significantly affected cognitive triad and indirectly affected depressive symptoms via cognitive triad. Also, the interaction of negative life events and cognitive triad significantly affected depression. Further results indicated that the self subscale of the cognitive triad is a particularly important factor in this model of depression. Contrary to what was expected, mother’s reports of depressive symptoms did not predict daughter’s cognitive triad or depressive symptoms. Implications of these results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Relationship of family variables, cognitive triad, and depressive symptoms in pre- and early adolescent girls(2007) Graves, Michael Eugene, 1980-; Stark, Kevin DouglasPrevious research demonstrates a marked increase in the occurrence of depression during adolescence, particularly for females. Theorists contend that this phenomenon is associated with the development of beliefs about the self, world, and future (known as the cognitive triad), which constitutes a potential cognitive vulnerability to depression. Research has also demonstrated that family characteristics, such as cohesion, communication, conflict, social/recreational activity, parental messages, parental modeling of beliefs, and maternal depression are all related to depression and the development of depressive cognitions. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth and analyze specific cognitive-interpersonal pathways to depression for girls transitioning from childhood to adolescence. 165 girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 participated in the study, along with their mothers. Participants completed self-report measures of family environment, beliefs about the self, world, and future, and perceived parental messages regarding the cognitive triad. Mothers completed a self-report measure of psychopathology and an instrument assessing their beliefs about the self, world, and future. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview, which served as the primary measure of depressive symptoms. As found in similar studies and consistent with Beck's theory of depression, daughter's reports of cognitive triad predicted the severity of her depressive symptoms. Moreover, the cognitive triad was found to be the mediating variable in the model; family variables affected daughter's beliefs, which then affected depressive symptomology. Specifically, girls who endorsed higher family conflict, lower social/recreational activity, and more negative parental messages reported more negative cognitive styles and subsequently higher levels of depression. Further results indicated that daughter's beliefs about the self and parent's messages about the future are particularly important factors in this model of depression. Contrary to what was expected, mother's reports of depression and cognitive triad did not predict daughter's cognitive triad or depressive symptoms. Implications of these results and recommendations for future research are provided.