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Negative cognitive style trajectories in the transition to adolescence
Amy Mezulis1, Kristyn Funasaki, Janet Shibley Hyde
1Department of Clinical Psychology, Seattle Pacific University, 3307 Third Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119, USA. mezulis@spu.edu
Summary
This study tracked negative cognitive style and depression in youth. Findings reveal distinct developmental patterns, with one group showing increasing negative style and higher depression, highlighting potential risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Negative cognitive style is a risk factor for depression.
- Understanding its developmental trajectory is crucial for early intervention.
- Longitudinal data on cognitive style development in youth is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental trajectories of negative cognitive style in a community sample of youth.
- To identify distinct patterns of change in negative cognitive style from early to late adolescence.
- To explore predictors of these developmental trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 366 community youth assessed at ages 11, 13, and 15.
- Latent growth mixture modeling used to identify trajectory patterns.
- Evaluated cognitive style, depressive symptoms, child sex, temperament, maternal feedback, maternal cognitive style, and stress.
Main Results:
- Three distinct trajectories of negative cognitive style were identified: normative (low and stable), increasing (stable then rising), and decreasing (high then declining).
- The increasing trajectory group showed the highest depression scores and risk for clinically significant symptoms.
- Child sex, temperament, maternal feedback, maternal cognitive style, and stress predicted class membership.
Conclusions:
- Negative cognitive style development is heterogeneous, with distinct trajectories influencing depression risk.
- An increasing negative cognitive style trajectory is associated with heightened depressive symptoms in adolescence.
- Early life factors and maternal influences may predict an individual's negative cognitive style trajectory.
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