Understanding the association between self-concept, daily hassles, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among adolescents.

摘要

The primary goals of the current investigation were pursued through two separate studies. The first study was aimed at developing and assessing the psychometric adequacy of a daily hassles scale. The second study was prospective (six month time interval) and was aimed at testing specific hypotheses regarding the relations among self-concept, daily hassles, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Specifically, the purposes of Study 2 were three-fold: (a) to test hypotheses congruent with traditional formulations of diathesis-stress models separately for boys and girls and for depressive and anxiety symptoms, (b) to examine the prospective association between specific facets of self separately for boys and girls and for depressive and anxiety symptoms, and (c) to test two separate models for understanding the causal linkages between self-concept, daily hassles, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results of Study 1 supported the factorial validity of the Adolescent Daily Hassles Inventory (ADHI). A five-factor structure, comprised of dimensions labelled Academic, Family Relations, Interpersonal Concerns, Achievement, and Uncertainty about the Future, most adequately fit the data. Further tests of construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability provided additional support for the reliability and validity of the ADHI and direction for future research aimed at assessing and refining the ADHI. Results of Study 2 supported the assertion that self-concept can best be understood from a multidimensional perspective. Findings based on prospective analyses indicated that specific components of self-concept (cf. general self-concept) were more useful for understanding outcome measures. Consistent with socially prescribed gender roles, results indicated that self-concepts in the areas of math, school, and physical ability were the greatest risk factors for anxiety symptoms among boys, whereas self-concepts in the areas of physical appearance and verbal ability were consistent risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms among girls. Support also was obtained for hypothesized causal models aimed at understanding the causal linkages among self-concept, daily hassles, depressive and anxiety symptoms. Specifically, findings supported the hypothesized temporal association between symptoms of anxiety (Time 1) and depression (Time 2), as well as the proposed causal linkages between depression at Time 1 and self-concept and daily hassles at Time 2. Results are discussed in the context of prominent theories of adolescent development and depression.