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Multi-wave Prospective Examination of the Stress-Reactivity Extension of Response Styles Theory of Depression in High-Risk Children and Early Adolescents

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Abstract

The current study tested the stress-reactivity extension of response styles theory of depression (Nolen-Hoeksema Journal of Abnormal Psychology 100:569–582, 1991) in a sample of high-risk children and early adolescents from a vulnerability-stress perspective using a multi-wave longitudinal design. In addition, we examined whether obtained results varied as a function of either age or sex. During an initial assessment, 56 high-risk children (offspring of depressed parents; ages 7–14) completed measures assessing rumination and depressive symptoms. Children were subsequently given a handheld personal computer which signalled them to complete measures assessing depressive symptoms and negative events at six randomly selected times over an 8-week follow-up interval. In line with hypotheses, higher levels of rumination were associated with prospective elevations in depressive symptoms following the occurrence of negative events. Sex, but not age, moderated this association. Rumination was more strongly associated with elevations in depressive symptoms following the occurrence of negative events in girls than in boys.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIMH grant 5R01 MH077195 (Hankin and Abela). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or National Institutes of Health. 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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Tillett Hall, Livingston Campus, 53 Avenue E, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8040, USA

    John R. Z. Abela, Dana M. Sheshko & Darren Stolow

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Frontier Hall 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO, 80208, USA

    Benjamin L. Hankin

  3. Department of Psychology, McGill University, Stewart Biological Sciences Building, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1

    Michael B. Fishman

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  1. John R. Z. Abela
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  2. Benjamin L. Hankin
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  5. Darren Stolow
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Correspondence to Benjamin L. Hankin.

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Abela, J.R.Z., Hankin, B.L., Sheshko, D.M. et al. Multi-wave Prospective Examination of the Stress-Reactivity Extension of Response Styles Theory of Depression in High-Risk Children and Early Adolescents. J Abnorm Child Psychol 40, 277–287 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-011-9563-x

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