Lack of assertion, peer victimization, and risk for depression in girls: testing a diathesis-stress model.
OBJECTIVE
To apply a diathesis × stress model to testing the association between peer victimization and depression in a sample of preadolescent girls.


METHODS
DSM-IV symptoms of depression symptoms were measured at ages 9 and 11, assertiveness and peer victimization were assessed by youth report at age 9.


RESULTS
The interaction of low levels of assertiveness and high peer victimization at age 9 was predictive of depression symptoms at age 11, controlling for earlier depression symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The results extend the published data on peer relations and depression by identifying a group of girls who may be particularly vulnerable to the stress of negative peer interactions.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA. kekeenan@uchicago.edu
Kate
K
Keenan
Alison
A
Hipwell
Xin
X
Feng
Michal
M
Rischall
Angela
A
Henneberger
Susan
S
Klosterman
D001242:Assertiveness; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010379:Peer Group; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States