title: Social stressors, coping behaviors, and depressive symptoms: A latent profile analysis of adolescents in military families.
abstract: We investigated the relationship between context-specific social stressors, coping behaviors, and depressive symptoms among adolescents in active duty military families across seven installations (three of which were in Europe) (N = 1036) using a person-centered approach and a stress process theoretical framework. Results of the exploratory latent profile analysis revealed four distinct coping profiles: Disengaged Copers, Troubled Copers, Humor-intensive Copers, and Active Copers. Multinomial logistic regressions found no relationship between military-related stressors (parental separation, frequent relocations, and parental rank) and profile membership. Analysis of variance results revealed significant and meaningful differences between the coping profiles and depressive symptomology, specifically somatic symptoms, depressive affect, positive affect, and interpersonal problems. Post-hoc analyses revealed that Active Copers, the largest profile, reported the fewest depressive symptoms. Accordingly, frequent use of diverse, active coping behaviors was associated with enhanced resilience. Discussion is provided regarding the promotion of adaptive coping behaviors within this developmental period and the context of military family life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Studies and Community Development, 8000 York Road, Towson University, Towson, MD, United States. Electronic address: eokafor@towson.edu.
authors.forename: Ebony
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okafor
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Child Sciences, 120 Convocation Way, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States. Electronic address: mluciergreer@fsu.edu.
authors.forename: Mallory
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucier-Greer
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Science, 261 Dawson Hall, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States. Electronic address: mancini@uga.edu.
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mancini
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D066067:Military Family / Q000523:psychology*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Coping; Depressive symptoms; Latent profile analysis; Military families; Resilience; Stressors