Gender, anxiety-depressivity and self-image among adolescents.
Two groups of non- and "quasi-depressives"-the latter corresponding to high depression scorers-German adolescents were examined to determine the effect of gender and depression in predicting physical ailments, self-image and attitudes towards parents. Quasi-depressive adolescents displayed higher frequencies of physical complaints across all five subscales of the Giessen physical complaints inventory compared to the non-depressive counterparts. Females generally reported more ailments (exhaustion, gastrointestinal, circulatory, and colds) than males. In contrast to males who showed scarce difference between depressives and non-depressives, female depressives exhibited substantially higher gastrointestinal ailments than non-depressive females. Depressives emerged as displaying inferior self-images, lower paternal acceptance, and somewhat higher maternal rejection, compared to non-depressives. Female adolescents displayed lower self-image, lower paternal acceptance (but not maternal rejection/acceptance), lower mathematical competency, and higher linguistic competency, when compared to male adolescents.
Kirkcaldy
Bruce
B
International Centre for the Study of Occupational and Mental Health, Haydnstr 61, 40593 Düsseldorf, Germany. bruce.kirkcaldy@t-online.de
Siefen
Georg
G
Furnham
Adrian
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment