Life events and depression in adolescence: relationship loss as a prospective risk factor for first onset of major depressive disorder

Although stressful life events have consistently been linked to the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD), most research has not distinguished 1st episodes from recurrences. In a large epidemiologic sample of older adolescents (N = 1,470) assessed at 2 time points, the risk conferred by a recent romantic break-up was examined as a predictor of 1st onset versus recurrence of MDD. Results indicated a heightened likelihood of 1st onset of MDD during adolescence if a recent break-up had been reported; in contrast, a recent break-up did not predict recurrence of depression. These results held for both genders and remained significant after controlling for gender. Additional analyses to determine the discriminant validity and specificity of these findings strongly supported the recent break-up as a significant risk factor for a 1st episode of MDD during adolescence. Implications of these findings and subsequent research directions are discussed.     

Sex Differences, Attributional Style, and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents

This study examined attributional style, sex, and depressive symptoms and diagnosis in high school students. The results revealed that (1) for females and males, higher levels of depressive symptoms correlated with a more depressive attributional style; (2) females and males who met diagnostic criteria for a current depressive disorder evidenced more depres-sogenic attributions than psychiatric controls, and never and past depressed adolescents; (3) although no sex differences in terms of attributional patterns for positive events, negative events, or for positive and negative events combined emerged, sex differences were revealed on a number of dimensional scores; (4) across the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (CASQ) subscale and dimensional scores, the relation between attributions and current self-reported depressive symptoms was stronger for females than males; and (5) no Sex × Diagnostic Group Status interaction effects emerged for CASQ subscale or dimensional scores. Implications of the complex findings from this large-scale, methodologically sophisticated study are addressed.     

The wellness behavior interaction model

A cognitive-behavioral model for conceptualizing wellness is proposed consisting of situational/antecedent variables, person variables, and consequence variables which, taken individually or together, may serve to describe and explain wellness behavior. The model also is interactional in the sense that different categories of variables or factors within a category may impact on each other in a multidirectional fashion. A selective review of research relating to each variable is provided to demonstrate the need for such a multidimensional conceptual scheme for wellness.     

Negative life events and substance use moderate cognitive behavioral adolescent depression prevention intervention

Investigate factors that amplify or mitigate the effects of an indicated cognitive behavioral (CB) depression prevention program for adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms. Using data from a randomized trial (Registration No. NCT00183417; n?=?173) in which adolescents (M age =?15.5, SD =?1.2) were assigned to a brief cognitive behavioral prevention program or an educational brochure control condition, we tested whether elevated motivation to reduce depression and initial depressive symptom severity amplified intervention effects and whether negative life events, social support deficits, and substance use attenuated intervention effects. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) indicated differential intervention effects for two of the five examined variables: negative life events and substance use. For adolescents at low and medium levels of substance use or negative life events, the CB intervention produced declines in depressive symptoms relative to controls. However, at high levels of substance use or negative life events, the CB intervention did not significantly reduce depressive symptoms in comparison to controls. Results imply that high-risk adolescents with either high rates of major life stress or initial substance use may require specialized depression prevention efforts.     

Measurement and quantification of stereotypy in freely behaving subjects: An information analysis

Stereotypy is typically defined as abnormal, repetitive, and purposeless motor behavior. In this study, stereotypy was more rigorously and generally defined in terms ofH, the typical metric for entropy, and was measured using computer-driven analyses of filtered and digitized video records. This technique was validated using rats treated with d-amphetamine, which has been shown to be an effective stimulant of traditionally defined stereotypy in a wide variety of species. Rats were treated with 0, 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg body weight d-amphetamine sulfate, and their unrestrained behavior was recorded on videotape. Our results confirm previous research that found stereotypy to occur at high doses of amphetamine. However, the present measure of stereotypy brought out additional complexities. Our results indicate that stereotypy occurred at significant levels with low drug doses, and, furthermore, that stereotypy in general was highly dependent upon the level of behavioral complexity considered. Finally, we discuss the advantages of the present metric for studying stereotypy.     

The role of counselling in community support for HIV/AIDS in uganda

HIV/AIDS counselling in medical related programmes focuses upon pre- and post-test counselling. The MRC programme in rural Uganda, a high prevalence area, began with pre- and post-test counselling, but as it was a community based programme this was not found to be adequate. As the programme developed, the counselling service became a way of strengthening the community to withstand the effects of HIV/AIDS. The paper describes the de-centralization of the counselling Programme from a medical centre to community centres. To monitor and evaluate the programme a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators were developed, these are introduced and discussed.     

Gender Differences in the Suicide-Related Behaviors of Adolescents and Young Adults

Gender differences in suicide-related behaviorswere examined in an older adolescent and a young adultsample (primarily Caucasian). Suicide-related behaviorswere assessed by the Life Attitudes Schedule (LAS) as well as by measures of depressivesymptomatology and hopelessness. The LAS measures a broadcontinuum of potentially life-diminishing orlife-enhancing behaviors. There are four LAScontent-category subscales: overtly suicidal and death-related,self-related, risk and injury-related, and health-relatedbehaviors. As hypothesized, in both samples, genderdifferences in the expression of suicide-related behaviors were obtained. Males from both samplesendorsed substantially more risk-taking andinjury-producing behaviors than females. Males in bothsamples also reported more negative health-relatedbehaviors than females. In contrast, females reported moresymptoms of depression than males. Hopelessness scoresonly differentiated male and female young adults; maleand female adolescents did not differ significantly on the hopelessness measure. These findings areprimarily discussed in terms of gender-role socializationtheory. Implications for the treatment of suicidality aredrawn.     

Correlates of sociometric status in school children in Buenos Aires

Teacher ratings on Spanish translations of the Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scale for Children and peer nominations were obtained for 110 school children (42 boys and 68 girls) in grades 2– 5 at a public elementary school in Buenos Aires. Nominations of likes best were negatively correlated with language processing deficits, attention problems, and sluggish tempo as rated by both teachers and peers, and positively correlated with teacher ratings of social competence, for both boys and girls. The reverse pattern was found for nominations of likes least. Children were assigned to sociometric status groups of popular (n=27), rejected (n=28), neglected (n=7) controversial (n=11), and average (n=37) based on number of LL and LB nominations. Rejected and popular children could be differentiated by teacher and peer ratings of linguistic information processing deficits, inattention, and sluggish tempo. Behavioral characteristics of motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, and aggression were significantly associated with being male but did not differ by sociometric status group.The assistance of Claudia Colon, Educational District of Buenos Aires, and Viviana Smith, Department of the Interior, Argentina, in the translation of measures is gratefully acknowledged. Particular thanks are also extended to the teachers and personnel of Escuela Normal 9 — Domingo F. Sarmiento.     

Comorbidity of unipolar depression: II. Comorbidity with other mental disorders in adolescents and adults

The current and lifetime comorbidity of depressive (i.e., major depressive disorder and dysthymia) with other common mental disorders was examined in community samples of older adolescents (n = 1,710) and adults (n = 2,060). Current and lifetime histories of depression in the adolescents were highly comorbid with several other mental disorders. The adults had a lower but statistically significant degree of comorbidity, primarily with substance use disorder. Depression in both groups was more likely to occur after the other disorder rather than to precede it. Comorbidity did not affect the duration or severity of depression. Comorbidity in the adolescents was associated with greater frequency of suicidal behavior and treatment seeking. The findings suggest that early-onset depression is associated with a greater degree of comorbidity and may represent a more serious form of the disorder.