Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here for more information

SAGETRACK

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
The Journal of Early Adolescence
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Abela, J. R. Z.
Right arrow Articles by Sullivan, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

A Test of Beck's Cognitive Diathesis-Stress Theory of Depression in Early Adolescents

John R. Z. Abela

McGill University

Caroline Sullivan

Concordia University

The current study tested the diathesis-stress component of Beck's cognitive theory of depression in a sample of early adolescents. The study also examined whether high levels of social support and self-esteem buffer against depressive reactions in children with high levels of dysfunctional attitudes. At Time 1, 184 seventh graders completed measures assessing dysfunctional attitudes, social support, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. Six weeks later, they completed measures assessing depressive symptoms and hassles. In support of Beck's theory, higher levels of dysfunctional attitudes were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Contrary to hypotheses, however, dysfunctional attitudes served as a vulnerability to depressive reactions following negative events in children with high but not low levels of self-esteem. Similarly, contrary to hypotheses, dysfunctional attitudes served as a vulnerability to depressive reactions following negative events in children with high but not low levels of social support. Results are interpreted within a self-esteem lability framework.

Key Words: dysfunctional attitudes • self-esteem • social support • depression • early adolescence

The Journal of Early Adolescence, Vol. 23, No. 4, 384-404 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0272431603258345
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?