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Cognitions, depressive symptoms, and development in adolescents
1Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|February 1, 1993
Summary
Negative thinking strongly correlates with adolescent depression, regardless of age. This finding supports cognitive models of depression in younger populations and highlights the link between negative cognitions and both depressive and anxious symptoms in teens.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Adolescent Mental Health
Background:
- Cognitive models of depression are well-established in adults.
- Generalizability to adolescent populations requires empirical investigation.
- Understanding adolescent-specific cognitive patterns is crucial for mental health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the applicability of cognitive depression models in adolescents.
- To explore developmental variations in depressotypic cognitions.
- To examine the relationship between negative thinking and adolescent depressive/anxious symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 688 adolescents (grades 7-12) on depressive symptoms.
- Assessed cognitive correlates: automatic thoughts, attributions, dysfunctional attitudes.
- Included measures of normative adolescent cognitions (e.g., egocentrism).
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between negative thinking and depression in adolescents.
- Depressogenic thinking did not correlate with age.
- The link between negative cognitions and depression remained consistent across early and middle adolescence.
- Negative cognitions were linked to both depressive and anxious symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive models of depression appear generalizable to adolescents.
- Negative thinking is a key factor in adolescent depression, irrespective of age.
- Interventions targeting negative thought patterns may benefit adolescents with depressive and anxious symptoms.