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. 2016;36(8):1070-1094.
doi: 10.1177/0272431615593176. Epub 2015 Jul 6.

Interactive Contributions of Cumulative Peer Stress and Executive Function Deficits to Depression in Early Adolescence

Anna M Agoston  1 , Karen D Rudolph  1
Affiliations

Interactive Contributions of Cumulative Peer Stress and Executive Function Deficits to Depression in Early Adolescence

Anna M Agoston et al. J Early Adolesc. 2016.

Abstract

Exposure to peer stress contributes to adolescent depression, yet not all youth experience these effects. Thus, it is important to identify individual differences that shape the consequences of peer stress. This research investigated the interactive contribution of cumulative peer stress during childhood (second-fifth grades) and executive function (EF) deficits to depression during early adolescence (sixth grade). Youth (267 girls, 227 boys; X̄age at Wave 1 = 7.95, SD = .37) completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to assess peer stress and depression, respectively; teachers completed the Behavior Rating Scale of Executive Function to assess everyday performance in several EF domains. As anticipated, exposure to peer stress in childhood predicted heightened sixth-grade depression in girls but not boys with higher levels of EF deficits. This study extends theory and research on individual differences in vulnerability to adolescent depression, in turn elucidating potential intervention targets.

Keywords: depression; executive functioning; peer stress; sex differences.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The interactive contribution of peer stress and sex to W5 depressive symptoms, adjusting for W1 depressive symptoms, W1 lunch status, W5 academic performance, and W5 negative emotionality.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The interactive contribution of peer stress and EF deficits to W5 depressive symptoms in girls and boys, adjusting for W1 depressive symptoms, W1 lunch status, W5 academic performance, and W5 negative emotionality.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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