Are relationships between impulsivity and depressive symptoms in adolescents sex-dependent?

Both depressive symptomology and impulsivity are common during adolescence and are associated with various negative life outcomes. The potential sex-dependent nature of relationships between these constructs needs further exploration in order to understand their complexities. This cross-sectional study examined how levels of these constructs may differ by sex. Additionally, we investigated whether sex moderates relationships between adolescents' depression symptoms and different facets of impulsivity.

156 adolescents (M = 17.37, SD = 1.91, 59% female) completed self-report measures of their demographics, depression symptoms, and impulsivity. Multiple Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) assessed mean differences in depression symptoms and impulsivity by sex and race/ethnicity. Moderation analyses examined how sex may indirectly affect relationships between depression symptoms to predict attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsivity facets, as well as overall trait impulsivity.

Correlations between depression symptoms and impulsivity scores were significant. Baseline depression symptoms were significantly higher among females (M = 9.53) compared to males (M = 6.68). Moderation effects of sex were not significant for attentional, motor, or overall trait impulsivity. However, sex moderated relations between depression symptoms and non-planning impulsivity, such that adolescent males showed higher levels of non-planning impulsivity when they reported high levels of depressive symptoms (B = .32, p < .01). This relationship was not significant for females.

While adolescent females may be more prone to depression, adolescent males may be more likely to experience non-planning impulsivity when experiencing symptoms of depression. The results of this study extend the literature regarding sex differences in vulnerabilities between these constructs. We suggest interventions targeting non-planning impulsivity may be especially salient for adolescent males reporting high levels of depressive symptoms.