Maternal depression and parenting in relation to child internalizing symptoms and asthma disease activity.

This study tested a hypothesized model of the relationship between maternal depression and child psychological and physical dysfunction mediated by parenting and medication adherence. A sample of 242 children with asthma, aged 7 to 17, participated with their mothers. Maternal depression was assessed by self-report, and parenting was observed during family interaction tasks. Internalizing symptoms were assessed by self- and clinician reports. Asthma disease activity was assessed according to National Heart Lung and Blood Institute guidelines, and medication adherence was evaluated with a 24-hr recall method. Structural equation modeling indicated that negative parenting partially mediated the relationship between maternal depression and child internalizing symptoms. Child internalizing symptoms, in turn, mediated the associations between both maternal depression and negative parenting and asthma disease activity. Medication adherence did not mediate the link from maternal depression to disease activity. Thus, maternal depression was linked to child psychological dysfunction both directly and indirectly via negative parenting but linked to physical dysfunction only indirectly through psychological dysfunction. These findings suggest that diagnosing and treating depression in mothers of children with asthma would enhance child well-being both psychologically and physically.     

The Perceived Stress Scale: Factor structure and relation to depression symptoms in a psychiatric sample

The present study sought to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) when administered to psychiatric patients. We also examined predictive validity of the PSS by assessing the association between the Perceived Stress Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory. A heterogeneous sample of 96 psychiatric patients (48 men, 48 women) completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Beck Depression Inventory. Factor analysis of the PSS established that the scale consisted of two factors. The first factor was comprised primarily of items reflecting adaptational symptoms. In contrast, the second factor consisted of items reflecting coping ability. Both factors had an adequate degree of internal consistency. Finally, a series of regression analyses predicting depression found that both factors accounted for unique variance in depression scores in women, but only the first factor accounted for unique variance in men. It is concluded that the PSS is a multidimensional and internally consistent measure of perceived stress.This research was supported by Grant 410-91-1690 from the social sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada as well as by grants from the Research and Program Evaluation Committee Brockville Psychiatric Hospital.     

Personality factors and somatic symptoms

This study investigates the association between self-reported somatic complaints (GSCL, Giessen Symptom Check List), medically evaluated global health and coping style (MBHI, Millon Behavior Health Inventory), current emotions (TESI, Tension Effort Stress Inventory), subjective well-being, and mental absorption (ABS, Tellegen Absorption Scale). The MBHI basic coping scales denoted introversive, sociable, confident, and respectful were negatively correlated with the GSCL, while the inhibited and the sensitive scales were positively correlated with the GSCL. The forceful and the cooperative scales were uncorrelated with symptoms. All the psychogenic attitude scales were firmly positively associated with reported somatic complaints. Mental absorption was weakly positively associated with the GSCL. Current emotions were firmly positively and negatively related to symptom report. Medically assessed health status was almost uncorrelated with the MBHI scales, current mood, well-being, and absorption. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns drive the relation between anxiety sensitivity and symptoms of depression

Depression is typically treated as a homogeneous construct despite evidence for distinct cognitive, affective, and somatic symptom dimensions. Anxiety sensitivity (AS; the fear of consequences of anxiety symptoms) is a cognitive risk factor implicated in the development of depressive symptoms. However, it is unclear how lower order AS dimensions (i.e. physical, cognitive, and social concerns) relate to depressive symptom factors. Confirmatory factor analysis, followed by structural equation modeling, were conducted to examine the factor structure of depression and to then examine the relations between these factors and the lower order factors of AS. This study was conducted in a sample of 374 adults (M age = 35.5, 54.3% female) with elevated levels of psychopathology (89.2% meeting criteria for at least one DSM-5 diagnosis, 25.6% primary depressive disorder). In this study a two-factor model of depression, composed of Cognitive and Affective/Somatic factors, was superior to one- and three-factor solutions. AS cognitive concerns were related to both cognitive and affective/somatic symptoms of depression. Neither of the other AS dimensions was related to depression symptom dimensions. These findings provide a better understanding of the relations between AS and depression symptoms.     

Dimensionality of coping and its relation to depression

The dimensionality of coping, as measured by 65 items from 3 commonly used instruments, and the relation of coping and stress to concurrent and future depression were studied in a community sample of 742 older (greater than or equal to 50 years old) adults. Measures of coping, stress, and depression were obtained at 2 time points over a 2-year period. Depression was assessed by symptom checklist and by diagnostic interview. Three coping factors--Cognitive Self-Control, Ineffective Escapism, and Solace Seeking--that had adequate psychometric properties and accounted for 25% of the total item variance were identified. Ineffective Escapism was associated with current depression and had a direct and interactive effect on future depression, exacerbating the negative impact of stress rather than acting as a buffer. Although Cognitive Self-Control was unrelated to either concurrent or future depression, Solace Seeking significantly buffered the effect of stress in predicting a future diagnosis of depression. Stress and initial depression level predicted both measures of future depression. Gender (being female) predicted the future diagnosis of depression but not the increase of depressive symptoms.     

Social problem solving: A moderator of the relation between negative life stress and depression symptoms in children

The social problem-solving skill of generating effective alternative solutions was tested as a moderator of the relation between negative life stress and depressed mood in children. Boys ( n= 25) and girls ( n= 25), ages 8 to 12 years, from inner-city, lower socioeconomic group families, completed measures of depression symptoms, negative impact of life events, and quantity and effectiveness of alternative solutions to social problems. Results indicated that the effectiveness of alternative solutions children generate in response to peer social problems moderates the relation between stress and depression. Children who experienced a high impact of negative life events, with less effective social problem-solving skills, reported higher levels of depression compared to children who experienced a high impact of negative life events but exhibited more effective social problem-solving skills. Results are discussed in terms of alternative theoretical models for the mechanisms whereby effective social problem-solving skills moderate stress-related depression.     

The longitudinal relation between personality disorder symptoms and depression in adolescence: the mediating role of interpersonal stress

The relation between personality disorder (PD) symptoms, depression, and interpersonal stress were examined over 6 months in a sample of 143 adolescents from a low-income urban high school. Both self report questionnaires in the full sample and structured interviews in a subset of 54 girls indicated the following: PD symptoms predicted greater depressive symptoms and interpersonal stress over time; PD symptoms were highly stable; depressive symptoms did not predict change in PD symptoms over time. Moreover, an integrative model was supported, wherein the route by which PD symptoms led to greater depression was via the generation of interpersonal stress. These results suggest that adolescents' PD symptoms play a destructive role in the construction of interpersonal circumstances during a key period for depression onset.     

Emergence of attributional style and its relation to depressive symptoms

The development of depressive attributional style (AS) and its role as a cognitive diathesis for depression were examined in children and adolescents (Grades 2-9). In a 4-wave longitudinal study of 3 overlapping age cohorts, AS, negative life events, and depressive symptoms were evaluated every 12 months. Consistency of children's attributions across situations was moderately high at all ages. The cross-sectional structure of AS changed with age, as stability became a more salient aspect of AS than internality and globality. The structure of AS also changed, becoming more traitlike as children grew older. In longitudinal analyses, evidence of a Cognitive Diathesis x Stress interaction did not emerge until Grades 8 and 9, suggesting that AS may not serve as a diathesis for depression at younger ages. Results suggest that attributional models of depression may require modification before they are applied across developmental levels.     

Daily fluctuations in perfectionism dimensions and their relation to eating disorder symptoms

Multidimensional perfectionism has been shown to play an important role in eating disorders (EDs). However, research examining this relation has primarily focused on relatively stable inter-individual differences between persons, thereby failing to examine how these variables are associated within individuals on a daily basis. This study examines how daily fluctuations in Personal Standards (PS) perfectionism and Evaluative Concerns (EC) perfectionism relate to each other and to fluctuations in ED symptoms. Adolescents (N = 275) completed questionnaires each evening during seven consecutive days. Multilevel modeling showed significant day-to-day fluctuations in PS and EC perfectionism, and showed that both dimensions are intertwined in the day. Among females, fluctuations in EC perfectionism co-varied with fluctuations in ED symptoms.     

Insomnia symptoms are associated with elevated C-reactive protein in young adults

Abstract

Objective: Insomnia is associated with elevated inflammation; however, studies have not investigated if this relationship is confounded with depression and neuroticism, which are associated with insomnia and inflammation. The current study examined the association of insomnia symptoms with C-reactive protein (CRP) and with interleukin-6 (IL-6), independently and after controlling for depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Design: Fifty-two young adults (mean age?=?25.2?±?3.9 years, 52% female) completed a baseline survey to assess psychological characteristics, followed by a plasma blood draw. Main outcome measures: Plasma CRP and IL-6. Results: When examined alone, insomnia symptoms were significantly associated with elevated CRP (β?=?0.52; R²?=?0.27), as was neuroticism (β?=?0.41, R²?=?0.17), but not depressive symptoms (β?=?0.21, R²?=?0.05). The association between insomnia symptoms and CRP remained significant when depressive symptoms and neuroticism were entered into the model simultaneously; this model did not explain more variance than the model with insomnia symptoms alone. No variables were associated with IL-6. Conclusions: Results suggest that insomnia symptoms are independently associated with elevated CRP in young adults, even after controlling for presumed overlapping psychological constructs. Findings highlight the potential importance of treating insomnia to reduce systemic inflammation.     

Rumination and worrying as possible mediators in the relation between neuroticism and symptoms of depression and anxiety in clinically depressed individuals

Rumination and worrying are considered possible mediating variables that may explain the relation between neuroticism and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The current study sought to examine the mediational effects of rumination and worry in the relationships between neuroticism and symptoms of depression and anxiety in a sample of clinically depressed individuals (N = 198). All patients completed a battery of questionnaires including measures of neuroticism, rumination, worrying, depression, and anxiety. Results showed that in subsequent analyses, rumination and worrying both mediated the relation between neuroticism and depression and anxiety. When rumination and worrying were simultaneously entered in the mediation analysis, only rumination was found to mediate the relation between neuroticism and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Two components of rumination (i.e., brooding and reflection) were also analyzed in the mediational analysis. Both reflection and brooding were significant mediators with respect to depressive symptoms, whereas brooding was the only significant mediator in relation to anxiety symptoms. The results are discussed in the light of current theories, previous research, and recent treatment developments. Clinical implications and suggestions for future research are provided.     

Proneness to hypomania/mania symptoms or depression symptoms and asymmetrical frontal cortical responses to an anger-evoking event

The behavioral approach system (BAS) reflects the propensity to respond to signals of reward, including stimuli associated with safety and goal-oriented attack (e.g., anger). Hypomania/mania has been posited to involve increased BAS activity. In contrast, depression has been posited to involve decreased BAS activity. Building on past research, which suggests that increased left frontal cortical activity is a neurophysiological index of BAS activity, the present research tested the hypotheses that proneness toward hypomania/mania symptoms would be related to increased relative left frontal activity and that proneness toward depression symptoms would be related to decreased relative left frontal activity in response to an anger-evoking event. Results from 67 individuals who had completed a measure of proneness toward these affective symptoms and were exposed to an anger-evoking event supported the hypotheses.     

Rearing practices and impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms in relation to inflated responsibility and obsessive‐compulsive symptoms

Smári, J., Rúrik Martinsson, D., & Einarsson, H. (2010). Rearing practices and impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms in relation to inflated responsibility and obsessive‐compulsive symptoms. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51, 392–397. The aim of the study was to investigate potential precursors of inflated responsibility (responsibility attitudes) and obsessive‐compulsive (OCD) symptoms. It was argued that both parental overprotection and impulsivity, separately and in interaction with each other, contribute to inflated responsibility and OCD symptoms. In a large sample of young adults (N = 570), self‐report measures of OCD symptoms (OCI‐R), responsibility attitudes (RAS), anxiety/depression (HADS), rearing practices (EMBU), present and past impulsivity/hyperactivity symptoms (IMP/HY) were administered. Overprotection as well as IMP/HY were found to predict OCD symptoms as well as inflated responsibility. Finally, a significant interaction was found between IMP/HY and overprotection with regard to both OCD symptoms and inflated responsibility. This effect reflected that IMP/HY was more strongly related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people who had not been overprotected than in people who had been. Conversely overprotection was related to OCD symptoms and responsibility in people low but not in people high in IMP/HY. The results seem to indicate that the inadequacy between offer and need for parental control may play a role in the development of OCD symptoms.     

Hair cortisol in relation to acute and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents

Background: We report on the preliminary results of two independent studies that (1) compare the hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) of healthy controls with patients displaying post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS, study 1+2), (2) investigate whether pre-trauma HCC are predictive for the development of acute stress symptoms (ASS) and PTSS (study 1) and (3) determine whether HCC correlate with PTSS in a clinical sample of children (study 2).

Methods: In study 1, the clinical symptoms of 35 minors were examined one (T1) and seven weeks (T2) after surgery following an accident. Hair samples were taken after the accident that reflect cortisol secretion over the past three months before the accident (healthy controls). In study 2, HCC and PTSS symptoms were cross-sectionally assessed in 22 minors who had experienced a psychological trauma.

Results: The HCC of patients with PTSS were lower than the HCC of healthy controls (study 1+2). Secondary analyses showed that HCC were significantly lower in male PTSS patients than in male healthy controls, whereas the HCC in females were comparably low in both groups. Pre-trauma HCC did not predict the total ASS and PTSS scores (study 1) and HCC were not directly related to the total PTSS scores (study 2).     

The relationship of depression and somatic focus to experimental and clinical pain in chronic pain patients

Abstract

The present study examined Fields' proposal that depression increases the sensory experience of pain in part through greater somatic focus. Experimental and clinical pain measures were compared to self-report of depression and somatic focus in 60 chronic pain patients. Depression scores were unrelated to pain threshold or tolerance on the cold-pressor test. However, as hypothesized by Fields, path analytic models suggested that depression had a direct influence on the evaluative and affective aspects of pain, but the relationship between depression and sensory pain was mediated by somatic focus. These results provide partial support for Fields' neurobiological model of pain and depression.