Self-Competence and Depressive Symptom Trajectories during Adolescence

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Adolescent Mental Health

Background:

• Depression is a significant concern in adolescence.
• Self-competence, encompassing various domains, is theorized to buffer against psychopathology.
• Understanding the interplay between self-competence and depressive symptoms is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal relationship between self-competence and depressive symptom trajectories in adolescents.
• To examine gender differences in these associations.
• To test the applicability of the competence-based model of depression during adolescence.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study with 753 adolescents (53% female, 65% non-Hispanic White) over three years.
• Self-report measures of self-competence (baseline) and depressive symptoms (annual).
• Latent growth curve modeling and growth mixture modeling were employed.

Main Results:

• Higher global self-worth and close friendship competence predicted greater decreases in depressive symptoms.
• Academic self-competence was associated with attenuated decreases in depressive symptoms.
• Self-competence in physical appearance was linked to lower likelihood of specific depressive symptom trajectories.
• Among girls, global self-worth and academic/friendship competence were associated with high stable depressive symptoms, unlike in boys.

Conclusions:

• The competence-based model of depression is supported in middle-to-late adolescence.
• Self-competence domains differentially impact depressive symptom trajectories.
• Gender is a critical moderator, highlighting the need for gender-specific approaches in understanding adolescent depression and self-competence.