Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
07:57
A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats
Published on: February 22, 2018
Specific coping behaviors in relation to adolescent depression and suicidal ideation
Adam G Horwitz1, Ryan M Hill, Cheryl A King
1University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5765, USA. ahor@umich.edu
Journal of Adolescence
|November 16, 2010
Summary
Adolescent coping strategies impact depression and suicidal ideation. Maladaptive behaviors like self-blame and behavioral disengagement are linked to worse outcomes, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Health
- Mental Health Research
Background:
- Coping strategies are crucial for adolescent stress management.
- The link between specific coping mechanisms and mental health issues like depression and suicidal ideation requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between coping categories and specific behaviors in adolescents.
- To assess how these coping strategies correlate with depression and suicidal ideation.
Main Methods:
- Hierarchical regression models were employed to analyze the data.
- Adolescents' coping behaviors were categorized and assessed for their predictive power.
Main Results:
- Behavioral disengagement and self-blame significantly predicted higher depression levels.
- Depression and seeking emotional support predicted suicidal ideation.
- Specific maladaptive coping behaviors, not broad categories, were key predictors.
Conclusions:
- Interventions should target the elimination of maladaptive coping behaviors (e.g., self-blame, behavioral disengagement).
- Enhancing positive coping strategies alongside reducing negative ones may improve adolescent mental health outcomes.
- Problem-focused coping did not independently reduce depression or suicidal ideation in this study.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Emotion-focused coping refers to a set of strategies aimed at managing the emotional impact of stressors, rather than directly addressing their causes. This approach involves altering one's emotional response to stressful situations to reduce their psychological effects. For example, individuals might talk with a friend or engage in activities like journaling to express their feelings. Such actions can help achieve emotional clarity or release, providing the psychological stability needed to...
01:27Coping Strategies: Problem Focused
Coping strategies are methods people use to manage, tolerate, or reduce the effects of stressors. These strategies involve both behavioral and psychological actions to handle stressful situations. One common approach is problem-focused coping, which aims to change or eliminate the source of stress rather than merely addressing its consequences. This method involves taking direct action to resolve the issue causing stress.
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
For example, consider a student who struggles to understand their...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:27Protecting Self-Esteem
Self-esteem, a central component of psychological well-being, is actively maintained through various cognitive and behavioral strategies. Individuals employ specific mechanisms to preserve a positive self-concept and mitigate threats to their self-worth, particularly in contexts involving social evaluation or personal feedback. Four primary techniques are commonly used to sustain self-esteem.Manipulating AppraisalsOne prominent strategy involves manipulating appraisals from others. Individuals...
01:25Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...