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Negative Cognition, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, Negative Life Events and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents in Oman

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Abstract

Knowledge on Omani adolescents’ vulnerability to depression is very limited. The current study examines the associations between Omani adolescents’ depressive symptoms (DS) and three central constructs: negative cognition (NC), as reflected by the individual’s view of self (VoS), view of the world (VoW) and view of the future (VoF), emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBDs), and negative life events (NLE). The Symptom Check List (SCL-90R), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Cognitive Triad Inventory for Children (CTI-C), and Negative Life Events Checklist (NLEC) were administered to a sample of 486 students aged between 13 and 16 from high schools in the southern region of Oman. A path analysis tested the effects of NC, EBDs, and NLE on Omani adolescents’ DS. Findings revealed that EBDs and NLE have direct effects on Omani adolescents’ DS. Similarly, the hypothesis that NC has direct effects on DS was partially supported. Our hypothesis, that EBDs and NLE may confer vulnerability to DS among Omani adolescents through NC, received partial support. The cognitive vulnerability hypothesis of depression is partially supported in an Arab sample. It could be argued that the hypothesis is culturally bound.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology - College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O.Box: 32, P.C.: 123, Al-Khod, Oman

    Mahmoud Mohamed Emam & Ehab Omara

  2. Department of Educational Psychology- College of Education, Assiut University y, P.O. Box 71111, Asyut, Egypt

    Mahmoud Mohamed Emam

  3. Department of Education - College of Arts and Applied Sciences, Dhofar University, P.O. BOX 2509, Post Code 211, Salalah, Oman

    Nasser Said Gomaa Abdelrasheed

  4. Department of Mental Hygiene – College of Education, Minia University, Minia, Egypt

    Nasser Said Gomaa Abdelrasheed

  5. Department of Educational Psychology- College of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Ehab Omara

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  1. Mahmoud Mohamed Emam
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  2. Nasser Said Gomaa Abdelrasheed
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  3. Ehab Omara
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Correspondence to Mahmoud Mohamed Emam.

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Emam, M.M., Abdelrasheed, N.S.G. & Omara, E. Negative Cognition, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, Negative Life Events and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents in Oman. Curr Psychol 40, 5156–5165 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00471-y

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