Negative Life Events and Depressive Symptoms in Late Adolescence: Bonding and Cognitive Coping as Vulnerability Factors?

• NCJ Number: 199865
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 32 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2003 Pages: 185-193
• Author(s): Vivian Kraaij; Nadia Garnefski; Erik Jan de Wilde; Arie Dijkstra; Winnie Gebhardt; Stan Maes; Laura ter Doest
• Date Published: June 2003
• Length: 9 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands

Annotation

This study examined the effects of parental bonding and cognitive coping on the relationship between negative life events and depressive symptoms in adolescence.

Abstract

Previous research has found a significant relationship between negative life events and emotional problems in adolescents. Stressful events of both minor and major magnitude have been found to be predictive of subsequent internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents. More knowledge about the factors that might influence vulnerability to stress could be useful in the development of prevention and intervention programs for adolescents who face stressful experiences. The current study examined both the direct and buffering effects of parental bonding and cognitive coping for adolescents involved in stressful experiences. A sample of 1,310 adolescents who were attending an intermediate vocational education school completed a questionnaire that measured depressive symptoms, negative life events, parental bonding, and cognitive coping strategies. Depressive symptoms were measured by the subscale of the Symptom Check List; negative life events were measured with a 19-item lifetime checklist designed for this study; parental bonding was measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument; and cognitive coping strategies were measured with the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The study found that adolescents with a poor parental bonding relationship were more vulnerable to depressive symptoms in the face of adverse life events than were adolescents with more optimal bonding styles. Cognitive coping strategies apparently played an even more important role. The use of self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, positive refocusing, and positive reappraisal appeared to be related to depressive symptoms. In addition, self-blame, rumination, and positive reappraisal seemed to have a moderating role in the relationship between the amount of stress experienced and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that prevention and intervention programs should focus on the formation of optimal bonding relationships with parents and instruction in adaptive cognitive coping strategies for adolescents who experience various types of negative life events. 5 tables and 44 references