Citation

Herman-Stahl M, Petersen AC. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 1999; 20(1): 45-62.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study explored the direct and interactive effects of coping, family relations, and control-related beliefs on depressive symptoms during adolescence. The sample included 471 adolescents who were surveyed in sixth grade year and again in seventh grade. Analyses revealed that negative life events, active coping, family relations, and control beliefs all correlated with concurrent reports of depressive symptoms. Control beliefs buffered the effects of stress on adolescents' reports of depressive symptoms. We were able to show that both control beliefs and family relationships significantly predicted depressive symptomatology at Time 2, even after controlling for symptoms at Time 1. Results are discussed in terms of the processes that may lead to depression and the factors that may buffer the effects of stress.