Browsing by Subject "Depression in children"
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Item Depression in youth: exploring the relationship among maternal depressive symptomatology, perceived critical maternal messages, and the cognitive triad(2004) Wendland, Deborah Ann; Stark, Kevin Douglas.; Robinson, SheriAlthough numerous studies have empirically documented the risks to the children of depressed mothers, few studies have attempted to investigate the possible mechanisms that may be responsible for these risks. Cognitive theories of depression suggest that depressogenic cognitions have their roots in early learning experiences within the family. Empirical evidence has accumulated that both depressed mothers and the parents of depressed children tend to be more critical of their children and more negative in their interactions with them. Recent studies even indicate that highly critical family communication patterns are associated with a childís vulnerability to depression. Utilizing Beck's cognitive theory of depression, this dissertation focuses on the relationship between variables in a hypothetical model which link mother's severity of depressive symptomatology, critical maternal messages as perceived by the child, the child's cognitive triad (view of self, world, and future), and the child's severity of depression. Drawn from a larger research study investigating childhood emotional and behavioral disorders, the participants were 38 adolescents who were receiving services in a psychiatric residential treatment center and their mothers. The adolescents completed a clinical interview to assess depression severity and two self-report measures to assess their perceptions of maternal messages as well as their own views of self, world, and future (cognitive triad). The mothers in the study completed a self-report measure on their own psychiatric functioning. Four mediational hypotheses were tested to explore the relationships between variables in the hypothesized model summarized above. Results did not support any of the mediational hypotheses. Consistent with Beckís cognitive theory of depression, a more negative view of self, world, and future was predictive of a greater severity level of depression in adolescents. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed, as well as the studyís limitations and suggestions for future research.Item Family functioning, cognitive vulnerability, and depression in pre- and early adolescent girls(2006) Gray, Jane Simpson; Stark, Kevin DouglasPrevious research indicates that the family environments of depressed children are characterized by parent psychopathology, poor family relationships, little communication between family members, and little social recreational activity. Previous research has also found that depressed children and adolescents report more stress and are more pessimistic in their interpretations of life events. Research has found mixed results, however, for the interaction between stress and cognition proposed by cognitive diathesis-stress theories such as the hopelessness theory of depression. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth while elucidating more specific cognitive interpersonal pathways to depression around the transition from childhood to adolescence in girls. Negative family environment was conceptualized in the current v study as a chronic stressor for pre- and early adolescent girls. Participants were 131 girls aged 8 to 14, and their mothers. Participants completed self report measures of family environment and cognitive style about the self, causes, and consequences of negative events. Their mothers completed a self report measure of psychopathology. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview. Contrary to what was expected, mothers’ reports of depression and other forms of psychopathology did not predict the level of depression in their daughters. Results did indicate, however, that participants’ reports of family environment, including the quality of family relationships and amount of social recreational activity, predicted their level of depression. Participants’ reports of inferential styles about causes of stressful events and the self in relation to stressful events also predicted their level of depression. Finally, cognitive styles about causes and the self moderated the relationship between family environment and depression for middle school aged girls but not elementary school aged girls; however, the interaction operated differently than expected. For middle school girls with positive cognitive styles about the self and causes, the relationship between family environment and depression was stronger than for middle school girls with negative cognitive styles about the self and causes. Implications of the results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Investigating the role of cognitive and behavior components in cognitive behavioral treatment for depressed early adolescent girls(2010-08) Patel, Puja Gandhi; Sander, Janay Boswell; Stark, Kevin Douglas; Keith, Tim Z.; Tharinger, Deborah; Kennard, Beth D.Depression is a significant mental health concern with a pivotal increase of incidence during adolescence, specifically for females. Currently, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most widely tested treatment for depression. Yet, it is unclear how CBT functions to produce effective outcomes. Adult studies have shown that behavioral components of CBT are more effective than cognitive components in reducing depression at acute treatment. Both behavioral and cognitive components have been shown to be effective in preventing relapse of depressive symptoms at follow up. Yet less is understood about how treatment components work together to provide positive outcomes, particularly for depressed youth. The overall goal of this study was to examine which parts of treatment (cognitive and/or behavioral) aid in symptom reduction and to determine if treatment outcome is mediated by cognitive change. Forty two pre-adolescent girls, aged 9-14, participated in a 20-session manualized group CBT program. The first portion of treatment (session 1-9) focused the behavioral intervention and the second portion of treatment (sessions 11-19) focused on cognitive interventions while continuing to reinforce behavioral interventions when necessary. Self report measures and diagnostic interviews were completed at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Using multiple regression analyses, the findings of this study supported the role of behavioral and cognitive interventions in reducing depression. Behavioral interventions were found to significantly reduce depression at post-treatment. Additionally, cognitive interventions were found to play a small, but significant role in post-treatment outcome, with preliminary evidence that cognitive interventions could also be linked to treatment outcome one year later. Treatment specificity could not be tested, as the cognitive change of depressed girls was not directly influenced by the behavior and cognitive interventions. Exploratory analysis demonstrated the significant role of behavioral techniques such as behavior activation, positive reinforcement, homework review, and skills training in predicting outcome of treatment. Implications of the results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Negative life events, family functioning, cognitive vulnerability, and depression in pre- and early adolescent girls(2008-08) Greenberg, Michelle Wendy, 1979-; Stark, Kevin DouglasPrevious research demonstrates a marked increase in the occurrence of depression during adolescence, particularly for females. Research has found that this phenomenon is associated with the development of beliefs about the self, world, and future (known as the cognitive triad), which constitutes a potential cognitive vulnerability to depression. Research has also demonstrated that family characteristics, such as cohesion, communication, conflict, social/recreational activity, negative life events, and maternal depression are all related to depression and the development of a negative cognitive style. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on negative life events, family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth, and analyze specific cognitive-interpersonal pathways to depression for girls transitioning from childhood to adolescence. 194 girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 participated in the study, along with their mothers. Participants completed self-report measures of family environment, beliefs about the self, world, and future, and negative life events. Mothers completed a self-report measure of psychopathology. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview, which served as the primary measure of depressive symptoms. As found in similar studies and consistent with Beck’s theory of depression, daughter’s reports of cognitive triad predicted the severity of her depressive symptom severity. Moreover, the cognitive triad was found to be the mediating variable in the model; family variables affected daughter’s beliefs, which then affected depressive symptom severity. Specifically, girls who endorsed higher family conflict and lower social/recreational activity reported a more negative cognitive triad and subsequently higher levels of depression. Additionally, negative life events significantly affected cognitive triad and indirectly affected depressive symptoms via cognitive triad. Also, the interaction of negative life events and cognitive triad significantly affected depression. Further results indicated that the self subscale of the cognitive triad is a particularly important factor in this model of depression. Contrary to what was expected, mother’s reports of depressive symptoms did not predict daughter’s cognitive triad or depressive symptoms. Implications of these results, limitations, and recommendations for future research are provided.Item Relationship of family variables, cognitive triad, and depressive symptoms in pre- and early adolescent girls(2007) Graves, Michael Eugene, 1980-; Stark, Kevin DouglasPrevious research demonstrates a marked increase in the occurrence of depression during adolescence, particularly for females. Theorists contend that this phenomenon is associated with the development of beliefs about the self, world, and future (known as the cognitive triad), which constitutes a potential cognitive vulnerability to depression. Research has also demonstrated that family characteristics, such as cohesion, communication, conflict, social/recreational activity, parental messages, parental modeling of beliefs, and maternal depression are all related to depression and the development of depressive cognitions. The purpose of the current study was to build upon previous literature on family and cognitive correlates of depression in youth and analyze specific cognitive-interpersonal pathways to depression for girls transitioning from childhood to adolescence. 165 girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 participated in the study, along with their mothers. Participants completed self-report measures of family environment, beliefs about the self, world, and future, and perceived parental messages regarding the cognitive triad. Mothers completed a self-report measure of psychopathology and an instrument assessing their beliefs about the self, world, and future. Participants also completed a diagnostic interview, which served as the primary measure of depressive symptoms. As found in similar studies and consistent with Beck's theory of depression, daughter's reports of cognitive triad predicted the severity of her depressive symptoms. Moreover, the cognitive triad was found to be the mediating variable in the model; family variables affected daughter's beliefs, which then affected depressive symptomology. Specifically, girls who endorsed higher family conflict, lower social/recreational activity, and more negative parental messages reported more negative cognitive styles and subsequently higher levels of depression. Further results indicated that daughter's beliefs about the self and parent's messages about the future are particularly important factors in this model of depression. Contrary to what was expected, mother's reports of depression and cognitive triad did not predict daughter's cognitive triad or depressive symptoms. Implications of these results and recommendations for future research are provided.Item The role of attachment in the relationship between maternal and childhood depressive symptomatology: the test of a mediational model(2004) Bennett, Laura Sheffield; Carlson, Cindy I.; Hazen, Nancy Lynn.