Depressive Symptoms and Academic Self-Image in Adolescence

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to specifically analyse the relationship between the different components of academic self-image, defined as the way adolescents represent themselves as students, and self-reported depressive symptoms, assessed with the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), in a non-clinical sample of 298 adolescents. We considered both adolescents’ beliefs about their own cognitive functioning in academic performance and beliefs about their emotional attitude in achievement situations. Our data indicate that the pattern of correlation between emotional beliefs about schooling and learning are significantly related to CDI scores, but this correlation is not evident for the cognitive beliefs. This pattern of correlation is affected by actual school functioning, because correlation between CDI and beliefs is much more significant in subjects without school failure. Differences between gender in CDI scores, beliefs about schooling and learning, and pattern of correlation are considered. These results can enable to focus supporting psychological interventions on more specific targets.

Depression and school performance in middle adolescent boys and girls

“…In line with the majority of previous studies (Economou & Angelopoulos, 1989;Kaltiala-Heino et al, 1998;Kovacs & Goldston, 1991;Masi et al, 2000;Puig-Antich et al, 1993;Reinherz et al, 1991;Slotkin et al, 1988)-if not all (Lewinsohn et al, 1995;Masi et al, 2001;Reinherz et al, 1991)-we found that self-reported depression was associated with poor academic achievement in terms of low school marks. The lower the GPA, the more common was depression.…”

Relation between Student Mental Health and Academic Achievement Revisited: A Meta-Analysis

“…Mental health problems make adolescents face with a decline in academic achievement [67], which in turn results in school absence, poor grades, and even repeating a grade in school [68]. Those adolescents reporting high level of mental health problems are more likely to perceive themselves as less academically competent [69], and they display low academic achievement in school [70]. When schools identify problem behaviors with programs of intervention, it is likely to improve academic achievement of adolescents [71].…”

The role of coping styles as predictors of depressive symptoms among adolescents: A prospective study

“…These stresses in relations to school may, in turn, have a negative impact on students’ psychological adjustment (Sund et al , 2003). Evidence also exists to suggest that scholastic failure is associated with psychological disorders, such as depression (see Masi, Tomaiuolo, Sbrana et al , 2001; Masi, Brovedani, Poli, 1998). Additionally, stressful events during adolescence may set in motion a self‐perpetuating cycle where stress and psychological symptoms contribute to each other (Compas, 1987b).…”