Moderators of the relation between popularity and depressive symptoms in children: processing strength and friendship value.
Children with low (n = 25) and high (n = 38) peer-rated popularity completed an emotional Stroop task, using negative social words, a self-report measure of friendship value relative to other domains of competence, and the Child Depression Inventory (CDI). Six months later, they completed the CDI again. In regression analyses, after controlling for prior CDI scores, social status interacted significantly with both Stroop and value measures (separate regressions). For unpopular children, both greater friendship valuing and greater negative social word Stroop interference predicted increases in depressive symptoms. In contrast, neither predictor was significant for popular children. In a third regression that included friendship value and Stroop interference as joint predictors of depression change, their effects remained significant and independent. We discuss these findings' implications for 3 models of depression; Champion and Power's social-cognitive theory of depression (L. A. Champion and M. J. Power, 1995), Pyszczynski and Greenberg's self-regulatory perseveration theory of depression (T. Pyszczynski & J. Greenberg, 1992), and Harter's model of global self-worth (S. Harter, 1985).
Martin
Joan M
JM
Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA. jmmartin@uvic.ca
Cole
David A
DA
Clausen
Amalie
A
Logan
Jessica
J
Strosher
Heather L Wilson
HL
D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012923:Social Class; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014825:Vocabulary