Browsing by Subject "Depression in adolescence--Sex differences"
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Item Gender differences in the relationship between self-schema and interpersonal schema in adolescent depression(2004) Natinsky, Michelle Bronik; Stark, Kevin Douglas.Based on Beck’s (1967, 1979) cognitive theory of depression and the constructs of self-schema and interpersonal schema, this study examined the relationships among self-schema, interpersonal schema, and depressive symptomatology in a clinical and control sample of adolescents. Gender differences were investigated as well. Participants for this study were 59 youngsters, ages 11 to 18, who were receiving psychological services in a residential treatment facility in Texas (n = 35) or were nonpsychiatric adolescents from local public schools (n = 24). Participants completed a semi-structured diagnostic interview (K-SADS-EP) and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Depression was assessed by the diagnostic interview. Self-schema and interpersonal schema were assessed through verbal transcript coding of the TAT. Results indicated that, while there was no significant difference between genders for self-schema, there were significant differences between the depressed and nondepressed groups on self-schema. The depressed adolescents had significantly more negative self-schema than nondepressed adolescents. Results indicated no significant interaction between gender and diagnostic group for self-schema. Results revealed that there were no significant differences between genders or diagnostic groups for interpersonal schema. Results indicated no significant interaction between gender and diagnostic group for interpersonal schema. Lastly, the investigation examined whether the constructs of self-schema and interpersonal schema are more highly correlated for girls than for boys. Results indicated that self-schema and interpersonal schema were not significantly correlated for boys or for girls. In addition, there was not a significant difference between the girls’ and boys’ correlations between self- and interpersonal schema. As the interpersonal schema coding system was created for the purposes of this investigation, it had not been used in prior studies. Despite the advantages of using verbal coding in order to avoid social desirability in responses, further research is needed regarding the coding system’s ability to measure interpersonal schema. This study was considered a step in understanding the relationship between self-schema, interpersonal schema, and depressive symptomatology in an adolescent population. Implications of these results are discussed, and directions for future research are offered.Item Social integration and gender differences in adolescent depression: school context, friendship groups, and romantic relations(2007) Gore, Kurt Alan, 1973-; Crosnoe, RobertThis dissertation investigates the social nature of the gender difference in teen depression by studying its association with social integration at the institutional, group, and personal levels. Taking a developmentally appropriate approach to social integration, I focus on fit within the normative high school context, friendship group position, and involvement in romantic relationships. Based on a conceptual model derived from the strong theoretical assumptions of past literature, the starting point of this research is that the depression of girls, compared to boys, will be more reactive to social integration in positive and negative ways (social integration is conceptualized as a moderator). However, competing viewpoints are also considered to determine whether this traditional assumption masks greater reactivity for boys at these three distinct levels. The quantitative analyses utilize Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Results indicate that boys are actually more reactive to a lack of social integration into the normative context of the school. Boys and girls' depression is equally sensitive to integration within the friendship group. Additionally, girls' depression is more reactive to aspects of romantic relationship break-ups. To better explain the gender differences in teen depression, in-depth interviews of students from an Austin Independent School District high school are analyzed to identify the social and psychological mechanisms through which the elements of social integration are associated with depression. Qualitative results support key elements of the proposed conceptual model indicating social comparison and social feedback as the main mechanisms through which social integration is associated with psychological well-being for girls and boys, respectively.