Gender Differences in the Cognitive Vulnerability-Stress Model of Depression in the Transition to Adolescence

Abstract

This study examined whether the cognitive vulnerability-stress model of depression may contribute to our understanding of the gender difference in depression in adolescence. Specifically, we examined emergent gender differences in depressive symptoms, cognitive style, and stress in the context of exposure, cognitive scar, and stress generation models. We also examined whether gender moderated the cognitive vulnerability-stress effects on depression. Participants were 366 youth from a community sample who completed measures of depressive symptoms, stress, and negative cognitive style at ages 11, 13, and 15. Data were analyzed longitudinally using multi-level modeling and structural equation modeling. Results indicated that gender differences in depressive symptoms emerged prior to gender differences in cognitive vulnerability and stressful life events; depressive symptoms significantly mediated the emergent gender difference in cognitive style and dependent interpersonal stress. Gender also moderated several components of the cognitive vulnerability-stress model. Girls showed stronger associations between stress and depression over time, and the cognitive vulnerabilitystress interaction was significant in predicting girls' but not boys' depression trajectories.

Integrating Sociotropy, Negative Inferences and Social Stressors as Explanations for the Development of Depression in Adolescence: Interactive and Mediational Mechanisms

“…This result contrasts with that obtained by Mezulis et al (2009), given that in their study the gender differences in depressive symptoms preceded the gender differences in cognitive style. A tentative explanation for these different results may lie in the different age range included in each study.…”

“…In support of this hypothesis, some studies show that gender moderates the role of negative inferences as a predictor of depression, both alone (Calvete in press;Gladstone et al 1997) and when interacting with stressors (Mezulis et al 2009), and that sociotropy predicts levels of stressors in women but not in men (Shih 2006). Therefore, a final objective of this study was to examine whether sociotropy, negative inferences and exposure to social stressors account for the girls' higher rates of depressive symptoms, and whether predictive relationships among sociotropy, social stressors, negative inferences, and depression are moderated by gender.…”

“…This greater cognitive interpersonal vulnerability would place girls at a higher risk of developing depression when they face social difficulties, such as arguments or rejections. In addition, some studies have found that girls score higher than boys on negative inferences (e.g., Calvete in press;Calvete et al 2007;Hankin and Abramson 2002); however, although cross-sectional studies have provided support for the hypothesis that differences in sociotropy and negative inferences mediate gender differences in depression (e.g., Calvete and Cardeñoso 2005;Hankin and Abramson 2002), a recent study has found that gender differences in depression emerge before the differences in negative inferences, so that differences in negative inferences could not have acted as mediators (Mezulis et al 2009). These mixed results indicate the need for additional research.…”

Genetics of smoking and depression

“…This is a well-supported finding with some research reporting a 70 % greater risk for women (Wang et al 2005). Mezulis et al (2010) partly relate the rise in MDD by age 18 to the greater rise in prevalence in young women (twice that of young men). Prior to age 18, males and females have fairly equivalent rates of the illness.…”

Interpersonal Dependency Inventory: Its Construct Validity and Prediction of Dysphoric Mood and Life Functioning via Negative Life Events

“…Prior studies have shown that women are more likely to report interpersonal stresses than men (Mezulis, Funasaki, Charbonneau, & Hyde, 2010;Rudolph & Hammen, 2003;Kendler, Thornton, & Prescott, 2001). From this, it can be assumed that either women are more sensitive in recognizing interpersonal conflicts, or they actually experience interpersonal NLEs more often.…”