Relationship quality and depressive symptoms among adolescents: a short-term multiwave investigation of longitudinal, reciprocal associations

Leaders' mental health and leader-member exchange: Exploring relations on different levels of analysis

INTRODUCTION

Research on leader-member exchange (LMX) has shown that the relation between leaders and followers may be considered from different angles. Leaders may form individual relationships with followers (LMX quality), may agree with their followers on these relationships (LMX agreement), and may form different relationships within their work group (LMX variability). We posit that leaders' mental health may function as an antecedent for these different forms of LMX. We use conservation-of-resources theory as a theoretical model to describe how leaders' mental health may interact with relationship quality with followers on different levels.

METHODS

We operationalized leaders' mental health using depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress reactivity. Our sample consisted of 322 followers of 75 leaders. Followers rated the LMX quality with their respective leader. Leaders rated depressive symptoms, anxiety, levels of stress reactivity, and LMX quality with their followers.

RESULTS

Results of multilevel modeling showed that stress reactivity was negatively related to LMX quality and anxiety was positively linked to LMX agreement. Depressive symptoms were not related to aspects of LMX.

CONCLUSION

By using multisource data on different analysis levels, we are able to include different perspectives on antecedents of LMX relationship quality. Implications for LMX at different levels of analysis as well as future research are discussed.

Do parental attachment and prosocial behavior moderate the impairment from depression symptoms in adolescents who seek mental health care?

We investigated parental attachment and prosocial behavior as social protective indicators in adolescents (age 11-17) with symptoms of depression in a clinical setting. Specifically, we tested the moderating effect of these factors on the relation between symptoms of depression and their impairment on daily life. The Development and Well-Being Assessment, as completed by children, mothers, and fathers, was used, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted for these three perspectives. From the adolescents' reports we only found a significant effect of symptoms on impairment indicating that a higher number of symptoms were related to higher impairment. For the mothers and fathers, a higher score on the adolescents' prosocial behavior was related to a lower impairment from depression symptoms on the daily life of the adolescent and the family. Only for the mothers did a higher score on prosocial behavior buffered the effect of symptoms on impairment, while a higher parental attachment score was associated with a lower impairment. Further, when examining maternal and paternal attachment separately, we found that, only the mothers, reported less impairment from the symptoms when they perceived that the adolescent was attached to the father, and paternal attachment even buffered the effect of symptoms on impairment. To conclude, our results indicate that social protective factors, from the parent's perspective, are likely to have a beneficial effect in clinical practice and should be taken into account when examining impairment scores. Future studies should investigate whether additional protective indicators from the adolescents' perspective, such as quality of parental attachment or family climate, may have a positive impact on their daily functioning.

The trade-offs of co-ruminating with friends: A profile analysis

Adolescents' co-ruminating with friends has been tied to trade-offs: having higher quality friendships but experiencing more depressive symptoms. To determine if individual youth experience these trade-offs, we applied a person-centered approach to Swedish adolescents' self-reports of co-rumination with friends, depressive symptoms, and friend support (n = 2767, aged 12-16, 52% girls; 88% Swedish). We found four latent profiles: Two high in co-rumination and two low. One high co-rumination profile exhibited the proposed trade-offs; the other reported high friendship support and fewer depressive symptoms. Comparisons indicated that the trade-offs profile were primarily girls and exhibited comparatively more difficulties with stress regulation, conceptions of their parents and themselves, and relations with peers. Focusing on the complexity of co-rumination could reveal further nuances.

A prospective study of the relative contribution of adolescent peer support quantity and quality to depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND

During adolescence, peer support has an increasingly important role in identity formation and well-being. Prior research has identified that lack of social support from peers in adolescence is a potent risk factor for depression. Two ways that social support has been operationalized is by the number of one's friends (i.e., 'quantity') and perception of one's network (i.e., 'quality'). Typically, these aspects of peer support are assessed separately.

METHODS

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 3,857), this study sought to test whether (1) adolescent depression relates to having fewer friends versus lower quality friendships, (2) these aspects of adolescent peer support prospectively predict depression in adulthood, (3) gender moderates the effects of peer support on depression, and (4) these aspects of peer support buffer the effects of stressful life events on depression.

RESULTS

Peer support quality uniquely predicted depression in adolescence and adulthood among both males and females. The effect of peer support quality on depressive symptoms, however, was greater for females than males. By contrast, peer support quantity did not uniquely predict depression for males or females.

CONCLUSIONS

Qualitative aspects of adolescent peer support uniquely contribute to mental health not only in adolescence, but in adulthood as well. Potential processes through which peer support relates to depression are discussed, as well as implications for treatment.

Reciprocal relationship between interpersonal communication and depressive symptoms and the mediating role of resilience across two years: Three-wave cross-lagged panel model

BACKGROUND

Depression among children has been a growing public health concern. It is generally recognized that individuals with depression are likely to have interpersonal malfunctioning. However, there remains a limited scientific understanding of the reciprocal relationship between interpersonal communication and depressive symptoms among rural Chinese children in a longitudinal approach.

METHODS

Therefore, guided by the interpersonal model of depression and the developmental cascade model, the present study conducted a cross-lagged panel analysis study to explore the bidirectional relationship between interpersonal communication and depressive symptoms across three waves among 2188 elementary school students in rural areas of one county of Gansu Province, China. We also examined the mediating effect of resilience and sex differences of the models.

RESULTS

Our results showed that depressive symptoms negatively predicted interpersonal communication from T1 to T2 and T2 to T3. Interpersonal communication negatively predicted depressive symptoms from T1 to T2, but not T2 to T3. Furthermore, resilience showed significant partial mediating effects in the reciprocal relationship between interpersonal communication and depressive symptoms. In terms of sex differences, the significant relationship between depressive symptoms at T1 and interpersonal communication at T2 was found to be significant among male students and marginally significant among female students. The full mediating effect of resilience at T1 was found only among male students, whereas resilience at T2 functioned as a full mediator between depressive symptoms at T2 and interpersonal communication at T3 only among female students.

LIMITATIONS

First, the present sample consisted of only third and fourth grade (i.e., in T1) students from one county in rural China. Second, the present study examined depressive symptoms instead of depression as a clinical diagnosis. Third, the third wave of the data was collected during COVID-19. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could unexpectedly pose on child mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

The finding underlined the importance of providing comprehensive depression prevention and intervention from fostering children's inner resilience and promoting their ability to navigate interpersonal resources.

Association between friendship quality and subjective wellbeing among adolescents: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Social integration with friends has an important role in shaping adolescents' behavior and determining their wellbeing. Friendship features such as companionship, trust, closeness, intimacy, and conflicts all form the concept of friendship quality. The quality of friendships can either enhance or impede mental development during adolescence. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to understand the association between friendship quality and adolescents' mental wellbeing.

METHODS

In November 2020 and later in August 2022, the search for evidence was conducted on five databases (Medline, Embase, ProQuest, Scopus, and PsycINFO). Only peer-reviewed quantitative studies published from January 2000 to August 2022 that investigated friendship quality as their exposure variable in relation to six constructs of subjective wellbeing (mood, loneliness, life satisfaction, happiness, self-esteem, and subjective wellbeing) were included. After screening for eligibility, two reviewers independently extracted the data based on population characteristics, study design, exposure and outcome variables, outcome measures used, and results. Risk of bias assessment was performed utilizing the NIH Quality Assessment Tool. Narrative evidence synthesis was performed based on the constructs of subjective wellbeing.

RESULTS

Forty-three articles out of 21,585 records were included in the review. The relationship between friendship quality and depression has been investigated extensively in the literature and negative (beneficial) associations were found in eighteen studies out of twenty-three. Poor peer relationship was associated with loneliness in nine studies out of ten. All seven studies on life satisfaction and quality of peer connection found a positive association. In five studies, better peer relationship was found to be associated with happiness. A positive association between friendship quality and self-esteem was observed in five out of six applicable studies. Friendship quality was found to be positively associated with subjective well-being in all of five included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Although majority of the included studies were cross-sectional in nature, this review demonstrates the paramount value of promoting healthy friendship to adolescents' subjective wellbeing constructs. Interventions that aim to promote subjective wellbeing among adolescents should consider the development and maintenance of healthy friendships.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020219312.

Mentoring and depressive symptoms of youth: Examining prospective and interactive associations with mentoring relationship quality

A significant body of research has demonstrated that mentoring relationships support positive youth development. The quality of the mentoring relationship has been identified as a predictor of positive youth outcomes. However, limited research has examined how engagement in a mentoring program may be related to youth depressive symptoms specifically. The current study utilized a sample of 2003 youth participating in mentoring programs across the country (M_age  = 12.32, SD = 1.42, 55.1% female) from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds (39.1% Black, 23.6% White, 22.1% Hispanic, 3.3% Native American or Alaskan Native, .4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.8% other, and 9.7% Multi-Ethnic) to investigate associations between youth depressive symptoms and mentoring relationship quality. Results revealed that: (1) mean depressive symptoms decreased after participation in a mentoring program; (2) several, but not all, relationship quality indicators predicted change in depressive symptoms; (3) baseline levels of depressive symptoms negatively predicted indicators of relationship quality; and (4) associations between several relationship quality indicators and follow-up depressive symptoms differed by baseline levels of depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the potential benefits of mentoring programs to youth and the need to provide mentors with support around building relationships with youth, especially those experiencing depressive symptoms.

A Depression-Risk Mental Pattern Identified by Hidden Markov Model in Undergraduates

Few studies have examined depression risk screening approaches. Universal depression screening in youth typically focuses on directly measuring the current distress and impairment by several kinds of depression rating scales. However, as many people have stigmatizing attitudes to individuals with depression, youths with depression were in fear of being known, and embarrassment held them back from reporting their depression symptoms. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the best, most easy access screening approach for indirectly predicting depression risks in undergraduates. Here, the depression score was ranked and viewed as the different stages in the development of depression; then, we used a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) approach to identify depression risks. Participants included 1247 undergraduates (female = 720, mean age = 19.86 years (std =1.31), from 17 to 25) who independently completed inventories for depressive symptoms, emotion regulation, subjective well-being (life satisfaction, negative and positive affect), and coping styles (positive and negative). Our findings indicated that the risk pattern (state 1) and the health pattern (state 2) showed distinct different rating results in emotional regulation, subjective well-being, and coping style. Screening for prospective risk of depression can be better accomplished by HMM incorporating subjective well-being, emotion regulation, and coping style. This study discussed the implications for future research and evidence-based decision-making for depression screening initiatives.

Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis Between Mobile Phone Dependence, Friendships, and Depressive Symptoms Among Korean Adolescents

This study examined reciprocal longitudinal effects between mobile phone dependence, friendships, and depressive symptoms using 3-year longitudinal data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. An autoregressive cross-lagged model was applied to a sample of 1,737 adolescents. Results suggested that unidirectional relationships exist between the three variables: friendships reduce mobile phone dependence (B = -0.068, p = 0.058; B = -0.118, p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms increase mobile phone dependence (B = 0.082, p = 0.001; B = 0.128, p < 0.001); however, mobile phone dependence does not affect friendships and depressive symptoms. In addition, this study provided evidence of the negative bidirectional relationship between friendships and depressive symptoms. We suggest that, to prevent or treat adolescents' mobile phone dependence, a practical approach regarding friendships and depressive symptoms is needed.

Utilizing the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) as an Autism Spectrum Disorder Preliminary Screener and Outcome Measure for the PEERS® Intervention for Autistic Adolescents

Exploration of potential preliminary screeners, and examination of social intervention outcomes for effects on comorbid symptoms is imperative. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, Achenbach and Rescorla, Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles, University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth & Families, 2001) provides a potential ASD screener and intervention outcome evaluation. This study had two aims: (1) to examine CBCL scales scores as a potential ASD screener; (2) to investigate PEERS® outcomes via the CBCL for Autistic adolescents. Results indicated elevated scores on four CBCL scales in the ASD groups, contrasted to a typically-developing group. Furthermore, decreases in the two CBCL scales for adolescents that received the intervention were found. Findings support prior research indicating a unique CBCL elevation pattern as a potential screener for ASD, and provide additional support for the efficaciousness of PEERS®.

An online intervention for vulnerable young adults: identifying mechanisms of change using a grounded theory approach

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively identify the mechanisms of change as young adults, whose parents have a mental illness and/or substance use issue, navigate their way through a 6-week, moderated online intervention.

METHODS

Using a qualitative, grounded theory approach, data were collected and triangulated for analysis from participants before, during, and after engaging in the intervention. First, 31 young people's motivations for enrolling in the intervention were identified from one open ended question on an online survey. Second, online chat sessions were analysed to identify those topics the 31 participants engaged in throughout the intervention. Finally, 19 interviews were conducted 2 weeks post-intervention, to ascertain participants' perceptions of the impacts of the intervention and how the intervention promoted changes.

RESULTS

The main storyline was that of participants "making sense" of their parents, themselves and other relationships, in collaboration with peers, in a safe online space. This storyline of "making sense" drove their motivation to join the intervention and was the focus of the online chats. After the intervention, some were closer to having "made sense" of their families while others struggled differentiating themselves away from their families. An anonymous, professionally moderated online site afforded participants opportunities to think about who they were and for some, who they wanted to be.

CONCLUSION

Generating an explanatory theory of how vulnerable young people navigate their way through an online intervention provides important information that can be used to inform future services, interventions, and research.

Peer Relationships and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents: Results From the German BELLA Study

Background: Poor mental health affects adolescent development and is associated with health and social outcomes in later life. The current study uses cross-sectional data to explore the understudied aspects of peer relationships as a predictor of depressive symptom severity of adolescents in Germany. Method: Data from the German BELLA study were analyzed. We focused on the most recent measurement point of the BELLA study and analyzed data of 446 adolescents (aged 14-17 years). Peer relationship was measured using four items from the internationally established Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Depressive symptoms were assessed via seven items of the German version of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale (CES-D). Hierarchical linear regression models were computed to explore the association between depressive symptoms and peer relationships. Hierarchical linear regression models served to determine the added predictive effects of each aspect of peer relationships. Result: The regression model showed that 22% of the variance of the severity of depressive symptoms could be explained by the quality of adolescents' peer relationships (F(1,444) = 125.65, p < 0.001). Peer acceptance has the most substantial unique contribution to peer relationship as a predictor of depressive symptom severity (Change in R 2 = 0.05; Change in F = 27.01, p < 0.001). The gender-specific analysis shows different trends for boys and girls. Conclusion: The quality of peer relationships is a significant predictor of adolescents' depressive symptoms severity. Improved peer acceptance, dependability, and ease of making new friends are significantly associated with reduced depression symptoms for Germany's adolescent population.

Family alliance as a developmental antecedent of depressive and anxiety symptoms in early adolescence: Friendship quality as a mediating factor

Family interactions constitute a critical context in which children can learn the basic relational skills that they need to make friends. In turn, friendship quality is a robust predictor of child socioemotional functioning. Therefore, friendship is likely to act as a bridge in a socioemotional developmental cascade linking early family interactions to child subsequent socioemotional adjustment. This study aimed to examine a mediation model linking family alliance (the degree of mother-father-child engagement and coordination in joint activities) in kindergarten to anxiety and depressive symptoms in early adolescence through the mediating role of friendship quality in middle childhood. The family alliance of 87 mother-father-child triads was assessed when children were aged 6 years based on a 15-min videotaped interaction. Children reported on the quality of their relationship with their best friend at age 10 and on their anxiety and depressive symptoms at both 12 and 13 years (averaged). Results showed that children who experienced better family alliance at 6 years had higher relationship quality with their best friend at 10 years which in turn, predicted less anxiety (but not depressive) symptoms in early adolescence. There was a significant indirect effect of family alliance on anxiety through friendship quality. Findings suggest that family alliance may play a central role in shaping children's capacity to develop high-quality friendships, with implications for their subsequent socioemotional functioning. Further longitudinal studies are needed to examine the reciprocal influences unfolding over time that are likely to characterize developmental cascades among family systems, children's developing friendships, and their socioemotional functioning.

Longitudinal Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Romantic Relationships in Late Adolescence

While youth with higher levels of depressive symptoms appear to have lower quality romantic relationships, little is known about longitudinal associations for both men and women. Therefore, this study used longitudinal dyadic design to examine both concurrent and longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and positive as well as negative aspects of romantic relationship quality across two waves one- or two-years apart. The sample consisted of 149 Dutch stable heterosexual couples (149 females and 142 males participated at T₁) in a stable romantic relationship in late adolescence with a mean age of 20.43 years old at the first wave. Actor-Partner Interdependence models were used to examine potential bidirectional associations over time between depressive symptoms and romantic relationship quality, above and beyond potential concurrent associations and stability of the constructs over time, from the perspective of both romantic partners. Results consistently indicated that men and women who reported higher levels of depressive symptoms perceived less positive aspects (intimacy and support) and more negative aspects (conflict) in their romantic relationship over time. In addition, unexpectedly, when men and women perceived more positive relationship aspects, their partners reported higher levels of depressive symptoms over time. These findings stress that depressive symptoms can interfere with the formation of high-quality romantic relationships.

Comorbidity Between Depression and Anxiety in Adolescents: Bridge Symptoms and Relevance of Risk and Protective Factors

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent and comorbid in adolescents, and this co-occurrence leads to worse prognosis and additional difficulties. The relationship between depression and anxiety must be delineated to, in turn, reduce and prevent the comorbidity, however our knowledge is still limited. We used network analysis to investigate bridge symptoms; symptoms that connect individual depression and anxiety symptoms and thus can help explain the comorbidity. We also examined the role of relevant risk and protective factors in explaining these symptom-level associations between these disorders. We analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Children and Parents (n = 3670). Depression and anxiety symptoms, peer victimization, bullying, peer relational problems, prosocial behavior, and parental monitoring were assessed at a single time point around age 13 years. Stressful life events (SLEs) were assessed at age 11 years. We identified the most prominent bridge symptoms among depression ("feeling unhappy", "feeling lonely") and anxiety symptoms ("worrying about past", "worrying about future"). Peer relational difficulties and SLEs were strongly associated with several depression and anxiety symptoms, such that these two risk factors created a link between individual depression and anxiety symptoms. Prosocial behavior had several negative associations with symptoms of both disorders, suggesting it can be an important protective factor.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10862-021-09880-5.

A Latent Class Analysis of Early Adolescent Peer and Dating Violence: Associations With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

Violence within peer and dating contexts is prevalent among early adolescents. Youth may be victims and/or aggressors and be involved in violence across multiple contexts, resulting in negative outcomes. This study identified patterns of perpetration and victimization for peer and dating violence, using a latent class analysis (LCA), and examined how different patterns of engaging in or experiencing violence among early adolescents were associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants included a sample of 508 racially and ethnically diverse youth (51% male) who had dated in the past 3 months. Youth were in the seventh grade within 37 schools and were primarily from economically disadvantaged communities across four sites in the United States. LCA identified three classes: (a) a low involvement in violence class, (b) a peer aggression and peer victimization class, and (c) a peer and dating violence class. Youth involved with multiple forms of violence displayed significantly higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms than those with low involvement in violence. Study findings revealed the importance of understanding how peer and dating violence co-occur, and how different patterns of aggression and victimization were related to internalizing symptoms. Prevention efforts should address the intersection of victimization and perpetration in peer and dating contexts in potentially reducing internalizing symptoms among early adolescents.

Conditional Direction Dependence Analysis: Evaluating the Causal Direction of Effects in Linear Models with Interaction Terms

Direction dependence analysis (DDA) makes use of higher than second moment information of variables (x and y) to detect potential confounding and to probe the causal direction of linear variable relations (i.e., whether x → y or y → x better approximates the underlying causal mechanism). The "true" predictor is assumed to be a continuous nonnormal exogenous variable. Existing methods compatible with DDA, however, are of limited use when the relation of a focal predictor and an outcome is affected by a moderator. This study presents a conditional direction dependence analysis (CDDA) framework which enables researchers to evaluate the causal direction of conditional regression effects. Monte-Carlo simulations were used to evaluate two different moderation scenarios: Study 1 evaluates the performance of CDDA tests when a moderator affects the strength of the causal effect x → y. Study 2 evaluates cases in which the causal direction itself (x → y vs y → x) depends on moderator values. Study 3 evaluates the robustness of DDA tests in the presence of functional model misspecifications. Results suggest that significance tests compatible with CDDA are suitable in both moderation scenarios, i.e., CDDA allows one to discern regions of a moderator in which the causal direction is uniquely identifiable. An empirical example is provided to illustrate the approach.

Developmental changes in associations between depressive symptoms and peer relationships: a four-year follow-up of Chinese adolescents

Interpersonal theories have suggested that depressive symptoms influence and are influenced by peer relationships, but little is known about how depressive symptoms-peer relationships associations change with age. This study examined the longitudinal associations between both group- and dyadic-level peer relationships and depressive symptoms in a community sample of Chinese youth (n = 2179; 47.9% girls) from grades 6 to 9. Results demonstrated correlations between stable trait-like components of peer acceptance/rejection and depressive symptoms, with no dynamic state-like associations being observed. The results also suggested that conflict with friends operated as a consistent interpersonal risk for subsequent depressive symptoms across late childhood to middle adolescence. Support from friends was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms in early adolescence, but influenced and was influenced by depressive symptoms in middle adolescence. This study highlights that depressive symptoms are associated with youth's peer social status and friendship in different ways and that the interactions between friendship and depressive symptoms get strengthened with the transition to adolescence.

Birds of a Feather Want to Talk Together: The Impact of Depressive Symptoms on Initial Stages of Friendship Formation in Older Adolescence

Introduction: Peer relationships play a vital role in adolescents’ lives and are considered to be especially critical for youth who experience elevated depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, depressed youth tend to have difficulties with existing friendships (e.g., fewer and lower quality friendships), which may exacerbate their symptoms. Little is known, however, about how depressed youth approach the initial stages of friendship formation, which may have implications for the types of social support they can access.

Method: Using a conversation task designed to build intimacy, older adolescents (N = 228, M age = 19.54 years) with and without elevated depressive symptoms interacted with a previously unknown, same-gender partner.

Results: Results suggested that adolescents with elevated symptoms experienced interactions differently (e.g., speculated more about their conversation partner and thought their partner was speculating more about them, experienced more negative affect) than nondepressed peers. The depression status of the potential friend also mattered, as participants paired with partners of similar emotional adjustment status wanted to talk more and felt closer to one another than did mismatched partners.

Discussion: Findings underscore that depressive symptoms impact even the earliest stages of friendship formation. From the perspective of interpersonal theories of depression, implications for bolstering depressed adolescents’ relationships are discussed.

Depression in a sample of Tunisian adolescents: prevalence, associated factors and comorbidity with anxiety disorders

BACKGROUND

Adolescent depression is a significant health problem which can lead to detrimental consequences. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the depression in a sample of secondary school students, to identify its associated factors and to explore the co-occurrence with symptoms of anxiety disorders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted, in March 2017, a cross-sectional study that included, using a cluster sampling technique, 386 students from five public secondary schools in El Kef (Tunisia). Data were collected using a socio-demographic questionnaire and the Arabic versions of the Beck Depression Inventory (13 items) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.

RESULTS

The prevalence of depression among participants was 75.9%. Of depressed students, 30.4% had mild depression, 48.8% had moderate depression and 20.8% had severe depression. The logistic regression analysis showed an association between the depression and the female gender [odds ratio (OR) = 2.59, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.52-4.17], the 1st and 4th school grades (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.09-2.94), the low and medium socioeconomic status (SES) (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.14-3.18), the school dissatisfaction (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.41-5.44) and the anxiety disorders (OR = 5.86, 95% CI: 3.54-9.70). The comorbidity "depression and anxiety" was found in 86.1% of students.

CONCLUSION

This high prevalence of depressive symptoms reported in the present study seems to have many implications especially for school health-care services.

The influence of family factors on time to suicidal ideation onsets during the adolescent developmental period

Family factors are associated with suicidal behavior in youth, but little is known about how the joint influence of multiple family factors prospectively predicts onsets of suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescence, a developmental period characterized by increases in SI and risk for suicide. This study investigated whether parent history of SI interacted with either positive or negative parent-child relationship quality to longitudinally predict time to SI onsets during the transition into and across adolescence. Specifically, we used a longitudinal, multi-wave design and survival analyses to examine whether the interaction between these family factors prospectively predicted time to emergence of SI onsets (assessed at 6 month intervals over 3 years) in a community sample of youth ages 8 to 15 (N = 238; 57% girls). Results supported an interaction effect, such that more negative relationship quality with parents predicted earlier emergence of SI among those youth whose parents had no history of SI. However, negative parent relationship quality did not amplify risk among youth with parent history of SI; all youth with a parent history of SI were more likely to experience earlier emergence of SI regardless of level of negative relationship quality. Findings did not support an interaction between low levels of parent-child positive relationship quality and parent history of ideation. Implications for the role of family factors in the etiology and prevention of SI are discussed.

Stressful Life Events and Depressive Symptomatology Among Basque Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Attachment Representations

The occurrence of stressful life events is a risk factor for psychopathology in adolescence. Depression is a problem of notable clinical importance that has a negative psychosocial impact on adolescents and which has considerable social, educational, and economic costs. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptomatology in adolescence, taking into account the effect that attachment representations may have on this relation. Participants were 1653 adolescents (951 girls) aged between 13 and 18 years. The sample was selected by means of a random sampling procedure based on the availability of schools to participate. Data were collected at two time points: attachment and stressful life events were assessed first, and symptoms of depression were evaluated eight to nine months later. Two time points were used in order to better analyze the mediating role of attachment security. Stressful life events were recorded using the Inventory of Stressful Life Events, attachment was evaluated by the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (mother, father, and peer versions), and depressive symptomatology was assessed through the Children's Depression Scale. In all cases, the Basque version of these scales was used. The results indicated that attachment to parents was a mediating variable in the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptomatology. Contrary to what we expected, the results indicate that stressful life events did not have a negative effect on peer attachment, and neither did the latter variable act as a mediator of the relationship between stressful life events and depressive symptoms. It can be concluded that attachment-based interventions may be especially useful for reducing depression symptoms among adolescents. The findings also suggest a role for interventions that target parent-child attachment relationships.

Distinguishing Attachment and Affiliation in Early Adolescents' Narrative Descriptions of Their Best Friendship

This study was designed to test for specificity in the relationship between individual friendship provisions and adjustment across early adolescence. Using a narrative procedure, attachment (i.e., accessing care) and affiliation (i.e., forming cooperative partnerships) were found to be distinct functional themes organizing 293 adolescents' (Mage  = 13) internal representations of their best friendship across three annual measurement occasions. Longitudinal, cross-lag analyses revealed a unique transactional relationship between friendship affiliation and greater social competence over time, controlling for friendship stability, maternal relationship quality, socioeconomic status, and gender. By contrast, friendship attachment predicted fewer subsequent internalizing symptoms from ages 14 to 15. Together, findings point to the importance of understanding individual differences in the content of adolescents' internal representations of friendship.

Associations of Mothers' Friendship Quality with Adolescents' Friendship Quality and Emotional Adjustment

Little research has examined the association of parents' friendships with adolescent's well-being, perhaps because the association was considered too distal. However, developmental theories suggest that contexts in which parents, but not their children, are situated may be related to child development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; 1986). The current work examined associations between the quality of mothers' own friendships and their adolescent children's friendship quality and emotional adjustment. Fifth-, eighth-, and eleventh-graders (N = 172) whose mothers' friendships were characterized by conflict and antagonism reported having friendships that were high in negative friendship qualities as well as elevated internalizing symptoms. These associations held after controlling for mother-child relationship quality, suggesting that mothers' friendships may have a unique association with adolescents' adjustment.

Integrating etiological models of social anxiety and depression in youth: evidence for a cumulative interpersonal risk model

Models of social anxiety and depression in youth have been developed separately, and they contain similar etiological influences. Given the high comorbidity of social anxiety and depression, we examine whether the posited etiological constructs are a correlate of, or a risk factor for, social anxiety and/or depression at the symptom level and the diagnostic level. We find core risk factors of temperament, genetics, and parent psychopathology (i.e., depression and anxiety) are neither necessary nor sufficient for the development of social anxiety and/or depression. Instead, aspects of children's relationships with parents and/or peers either mediates (i.e., explains) or moderates (i.e., interacts with) these core risks being related to social anxiety and/or depression. We then examine various parent- and peer-related constructs contained in the separate models of social anxiety and depression (i.e., parent-child attachment, parenting, social skill deficits, peer acceptance and rejection, peer victimization, friendships, and loneliness). Throughout our review, we report evidence for a Cumulative Interpersonal Risk model that incorporates both core risk factors and specific interpersonal risk factors. Most studies fail to consider comorbidity, thus little is known about the specificity of these various constructs to depression and/or social anxiety. However, we identify shared, differential, and cumulative risks, correlates, consequences, and protective factors. We then put forth demonstrated pathways for the development of depression, social anxiety, and their comorbidity. Implications for understanding comorbidity are highlighted throughout, as are theoretical and research directions for developing and refining models of social anxiety, depression, and their comorbidity. Prevention and treatment implications are also noted.