Sex differences and adolescent depression.
This study investigates the role of certain psychosocial variables--sex, age, body image/self-esteem, self-consciousness, stressful life events, and the degree to which an individual identifies with the cultural stereotype of masculinity--as correlates and antecedents to depression in adolescents and explores possible intraindividual mediators of the stress-depression relationship in adolescents. A battery of self-report measures was administered to public high school students in Grades 9-12 in their classrooms at two different times 1 month apart. Female adolescents reported more depressive symptoms, self-consciousness, stressful recent events, feminine attributes, and negative body image and self-esteem; no age effects were obtained. Results suggest a model of adolescent depression in which body/self-esteem and stressful recent events are significant contributors.
Allgood-Merten
B
B
Oregon Research Institute, Eugene 97403.
Lewinsohn
P M
PM
Hops
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D001828:Body Image; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors