Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

, Volume 35, Issue 6, pp 913–927 | Cite as

Responses to Depression in Children: Reconceptualizing the Relation Among Response Styles

  • John R. Z. Abela
  • Cristina M. Aydin
  • Randy P. Auerbach
Article
First Online:

Abstract

We propose that researchers should utilize ratio scores when examining the response styles theory rather than examine each of the response styles separately. Higher ratio scores indicate a higher probability of engaging in ruminative, as opposed to distracting and problem solving, behaviors. In Phase One, we examined the factor structure and reliability of the Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire (CRSQ) in a sample of 287 third through sixth grade schoolchildren. A two factor solution was obtained: (1) Rumination and (2) Distraction and Problem Solving. Both factors exhibited strong psychometric properties. In Phase Two, 140 children completed the CRSQ and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). Six weeks later, children completed the CDI. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the two-factor solution fit the data well. In line with hypotheses, CRSQ ratio scores were more strongly associated with CDI residual change scores than were either CRSQ rumination or distraction and problem solving scores.

Keywords

Response styles theory Rumination Distraction Problem-solving Depression 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

The research reported in this article was supported, in part, by a Young Investigator Award from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) awarded to John R. Z. Abela. We would like to thank Martin E. P. Seligman and David Zuroff for serving as mentors for the NARSAD grant.

References

  1. Abela, J. R. Z., Brozina, K., & Haigh, E. (2002a). An examination of the response styles theory of depression in third- and seventh-grade children: A short-term longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30, 513–525.Google Scholar
  2. Abela, J. R. Z., & Hankin, B. L. (2007). Cognitive vulnerability to depression in children and adolescents: A developmental psychopathology perspective. In J. R. Z. Abela & B. L. Hankin (Eds.), Childhood and adolescent depression: Causes, treatment, and prevention. New York: Guilford Press. (in press)Google Scholar
  3. Abela, J. R. Z., Vanderbilt, E., & Rochon, A. (2004). A test of the integration of the response styles and social support theories of depression in third and seventh grade children. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 653–674.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Abela, J. R. Z., Verroneau, M., Taylor, G., & Bryan, C. (2002b). The development of a ruminative response style in early adolescents. Manuscript submitted for publication.Google Scholar
  5. Beardslee, W. R., Keller, M. B., Lavori, P. W., Staley, J. E., & Sacks, N. (1993). The impact of parental affective disorders on depression in offspring: A longitudinal follow-up in a nonreferred sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32, 723–730.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Broderick, P. C. (1998). Early adolescent gender differences in the use of ruminative and distracting coping strategies. Journal of Early Adolescence, 18, 173–191.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Butler, L. C., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1994). Gender differences in responses to depressed mood in a college sample. Sex Roles, 30, 331–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Cattell, R. B. (1966). The scree test for number of factors. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 1, 245–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlational analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
  10. First, M. B., Gibbon, M., Spitzer, R. L., & Williams, J. B. W. (1995). User’s guide for the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I, Version 2.0), Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.Google Scholar
  11. Gillham, J. E., Brunwasser, S. M., & Freres, D. R. (2007). Preventing depression in early adolescence: The Penn Resiliency Program. In J. R. Z. Abela & B. L. Hankin (Eds.), Childhood and adolescent depression: Causes, treatment, and prevention. New York: Guilford Press. (in press)Google Scholar
  12. Hankin, B. L., Abramson, L. Y., Moffitt, T. E., Silva, P. A., McGee, R., & Angell, K. E. (1998). Development of depression from preadolescence to young adulthood: Emergence of gender differences in a 10-year longitudinal study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107, 128–140.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Joiner, T. E., Jr. (1994). Covariance of baseline symptom scores in prediction of future symptom scores: A methodological note. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 18, 497–504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Just, N., & Alloy, L. (1997). The response styles theory of depression: Tests and an extension of the theory. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 221–229.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Kovacs, M. (2003). Children’s depression inventory: Technical manual. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems.Google Scholar
  16. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1987). Sex differences in unipolar depression: Evidence and theory. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 259–282.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (1991). Responses to depression and their effects on the duration of depressive episodes. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 100, 569–582.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Girgus, J. S. (1994). The emergence in gender differences in depression during adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, 115, 424–443.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Harrell, Z. (2002). Rumination, depression and alcohol use: Tests of gender differences. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 16(4), 391–403.Google Scholar
  20. Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Morrow, J. (1991). A prospective study of depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms after a natural disaster: The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 115–121.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Sarin, S., Abela, J. R. Z., & Auerbach, R. P. (2005). The response styles theory of depression: A test of specificity and causal mediation. Cognition and Emotion, 19, 751–761.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Schwartz, J. A. J., & Koenig, L. J. (1996). Response styles and negative affect among adolescents. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 20, 13–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. Spence, S. H. (2007). Integrating individual and whole-school change approaches in the prevention of depression in adolescents. In J. R. Z. Abela & B. L. Hankin (Eds.), Childhood and adolescent depression: Causes, treatment, and prevention. New York: Guilford Press. (in press)Google Scholar
  24. Weissman, M. M., Warner, V., Wichramaratne, P., Moreau, D., & Olfson, M. (1997). Offspring of depressed parents: 10 years later. Archives of General Psychiatry, 54, 932–940.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  25. Zanarini, M. C., Skodol, A. E., Bender, D., Dolan, R., Sanislow, C., Schaefer, E., et al. (2000). The collaborative longitudinal personality disorders study: Reliability of axis I and axis II diagnoses. Journal of Personality Disorders, 14, 291–299.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  26. Ziegert, D., & Kistner, J. (2002). Response styles theory: Downward extension to children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 31(3), 325–334.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • John R. Z. Abela
    • 1
  • Cristina M. Aydin
    • 1
  • Randy P. Auerbach
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of PsychologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada

Personalised recommendations