Abstract
Although past theory and research implicate social problem- solving deficits in both depression and aggressive disorders, research examining carefully diagnosed groups of adolescent depressed and conduct- disordered groups had not previously been conducted. In the current study three groups of adolescents (major depression, conduct- disordered, and normal) were studied using two social problem- solving measures. Both the Means- Ends Problem- Solving task (MEPS) and the Social Situations Analysis measure (SSA) failed to show social problem- solving problem deficits in the depressed group relative to their normal age peers, but did provide corroborative evidence for social problem- solving deficits in the conduct- disordered sample. Relative to the other two groups, the conduct- disordered adolescents were found to generate fewer means to a social end, to anticipate fewer obstacles in the pursuit of solutions to interpersonal situations, and to generate fewer assertive behavioral solutions to difficult social situations. The results are discussed in relation to other work with depressed and aggressive youth, and directions for future research are given.
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The authors would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Connolly for allowing us to use the SSA, and Liz McCririck and Colleen Lyle, who assisted with manuscript preparation. This manuscript is based in part upon a presentation given at the Annual Meetings of the Canadian Psychological Association, June 1987, and the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, November 1987. Part of this study was supported by B.C. Health Care Grant #10 (83-2).
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Joffe, R.D., Dobson, K.S., Fine, S. et al. Social problem-solving in depressed, conduct-disordered, and normal adolescents. J Abnorm Child Psychol 18, 565–575 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00911108
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00911108