Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gender Differences in Adolescent Depression: Gender-Typed Characteristics or Problem-Solving Skills Deficits?

  • Published:
Sex Roles Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study explored gender differences indepressive symptoms during adolescence in relation withgender-typed characteristics, problem-solving abilities,and stressful life events. Participants were 306 white French-speaking adolescents (142 men and164 women) from upper middle-class families enrolled ina high school in the Trois-Rivières area ofQuebec. Participants ranged in age from 14 to 17 years, with a mean age of 15.3 years (SD = .95). Theycompleted the French versions of the Beck DepressionInventory (BDI), the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), theProblem-Solving Inventory (PSI), and the Life Event Questionnaire (LEQ) during a regularclass. Depressed participants distinguished themselvesfrom nondepressed participants on all variables exceptfor expressivity. Instrumentality was negatively correlated with depression for boys and for thetotal sample. Scores on all three subscales of the PSIcorrelated with depression, and with scores on the LEQ,with the exception of “In the Last Year”subscale for boys. A path analysis was conducted usingscores on the BDI as the dependent variable. Subjectiveproblem-solving abilities act as a mediating variablebetween instrumentality and depression. Instrumentality, expressivity, and problem-solving abilitiesexplained a significant portion of the variance of theBDI.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Adams, M., & Adams, J. (1991). Life eve nts, depression, and perce ived problem solving alternative s in adolescents. Jou rnal of Child Psycho logy an d Psychiatry, 32, 811-820.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alain, M. (1987). A french ve rsion of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory. Psycho logical Report, 61, 673-674.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alfieri, T. J., Ruble, D. N., & Higgins, E. T. (1996). Gende r stereotype s during adolescence: De ve lopmental change s and the transition to junior high school. Developmental Psycho logy, 32, 1129-1137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allgood-Merten, B., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (1990). Sex difference s and adolescent depression. Jou rnal of Abn ormal Psycho logy, 99, 55-63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ame rican Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagno stic and statistical man ual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagno stic and statistical man ual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Angold, A. (1988). Childhood and adolescent depression: 1._Epidemiological and etiological aspe cts. British Jou rn al of Psychiatry, 152, 601-617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1995). Self-ef® cacy in ch an ging societies. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Pre ss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baron, P. (1993). La de pression chez les ad olescents. Montre al: Maloine, Edisem.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrera, M., & Garrison-Jones, C. V. (1988). Properties of the Beck Depression Inventory as a scre ening instrument for adolescent depression. Journ al of Abno rmal Child Psych ology, 16, 263-273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T. (1978). Depression invento ry. Philadelphia: Center for Cognitive Therapy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for me asuring depression. Arch ives of Gen eral Psychiatry, 4, 561-571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bem, S. L. (1974). The me asurement of psychological androgyny. Jo urn al of Consulting and Clinical Psych ology, 42, 155-162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blatt, S. J., Hart, B., Quinlan, D.M., Leadbeater, B. J., & Auerbach, J. (1993). The re lationship between dependent and se lf-critical depression and problem behavior in adolescents. Jou rnal of Youth an d Ado lescen ce, 22, 253-269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourque, P., & Beaudette, D. (1982). E  tude psychome trique du questionnaire de de pre ssion de Beck aupreÁ s d' un e chantillon d' e tudiants universitaires francophones. Revue Canad ienne des Scien ces du Comportement, 14, 211-218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connelly, B., Johnston, D., Brown, I. D. R., Mackay, S., & Blackstock, E. G. (1993). The prevalence of depression in a high school population. Adolescen ce, 28, 149-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Craighead, L. W., & Gree n, B. J. (1989). Re lationship between depressed mood and sex-typed personality characte ristics in adolescents. Jou rnal of Youth and Adolescen ce, 18, 467-474.

    Google Scholar 

  • D'Zurilla, T. J., & Goldfried, M.R. (1971). Problem solving and behavior modi® cation. Jou rnal of Abn ormal Psycho logy, 78, 107-126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elpern, S., & Karp, S. (1984). Sex-role orientation and depressive symptomatology. Sex Roles, 10, 987-992.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming, J. E., & Offord, D. R. (1990). Epidemiology of childhood depressive disorders: A critical re view. Jou rnal of the American Academy of Child an d Adolescen t Psychiatry, 29, 571-580.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galambos, N. L., Alme ida, D. M., & Pete rsen, A. C. (1990). Masculinity, femininity, and sex role attitudes in early adolescence: Exploring gender intensi® cation. Child Development, 61, 1905-1914.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselin, M. J., & Marcotte, D. (1997). Le roà le de l' appre ciation subjective de l'habilete de re solution de probleÁ me s dans la de pression che z les adolescents. Scien ce et Compo rtement, 25(3), 299-314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haaga, D. A. F., Fine, J. A., Terrill, D., Stewart, B. L., & Beck, A. T. (1995). Social problemsolving de® cits, dependency, and depre ssive symptoms. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19, 147-158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, B. I., & Thompson, J. M. (1996).Gender role characteristics and depre ssive symptomatology among adolescents. Jou rnal of Early Adolescen ce, 16, 407-426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heppner, P. P., & Pe tersen, C. H. (1982). The development and implications of a personal problem-solving inventory. Jou rnal of Counseling Psycho logy, 29, 66-75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heppner, P. P., Walther, D. J., & Good, G. E. (1995). The differential role of instrumentality, expressivity, and social support in predicting problem-solving appraisal in men and women. Sex Roles, 32(1/2), 91-108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, J. P., & Lynch, M. E. (1983). The intensi® cation of gender-related role expectations during early adolescence. In J. Brooks-Gunn & A. Petersen (Eds.), Girls at pub erty: Biological an d psycho social perspectives (pp.201-208). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associate s.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hops, H., & Lewinsohn, P. M. (1995). A course for the treatment of depression among adolescents. In K. D. Craig & K. S. Dobson (Eds). Anxiety and depression in adults and children (pp. 230-245). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joffe, R. D., Dobson, K. S., Fine, S., Marriage, K., & Haley, G. (1990). Social problem-solving in depressed, conduct-disordered, and normal adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 18, 565-575.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs, M. (1985). The Children' sDepression Inventory (CDI). Psych op harm aco logy Bulletin, 21, 995-998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lakey, B. (1988). Self-esteem, control beliefs, and cognitive problem-solving skill as risk factors in the development of subsequent dysphoria. Cogn itive Therapy an d Research, 12, 409-420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leadbeater, B. J., Blatt, S. J., & Quinlan, D. M. (1995). Gender-linked vulnerabilities to depressive symptoms, stress, and problem behaviors in adolescents. Jo urn al of Research on Adolescence, 5, 1-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcotte, D. (1995). L' in¯ uence des distorsions cognitives, de l'e stime de soi e t des sentiments re lie s aÁ la maturation pubertaire sur les symptoà mes de de pression des adolescents de milieu scolaire. Revue Que be coise de Psycho logie, 16, 109-132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcotte,D. (1996). Irrational beliefs and depression in adolescence. Adolescen ce, 31, 935-954.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcotte, D., & Vitaro, F. (1996). Self-percep tion an d pub ertal status in early ad olescents with dep ressive symptoms. Poster, Biennal Congre ss of the International Society for Study of Behavioral Development, Que bec, August 12-16.

  • Marton, P., Connolly, J., Kutcher, S., & Korenblum, M. (1993). Cognitive social skills and social se lf-appraisal in depressed adolescents. Jou rn al of American Academy of Child and Ado lescent Psych iatry, 32, 739-744.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newcomb, M. D., Huba, G. J., & Bentler, P. M. (1981). A multidimensional asse ssment of stressful life events among adolescents: Derivation and corre lates. Jo urn al of Health an d Social Behavior, 22, 400-415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nezu, A. M. (1986). Cognitive appraisal of problem-solving e ffectiveness: Relation to depressive symptoms. Jo urn al of Clinical Psych ology, 42, 42-49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nezu, A. M., & Nezu, C. A. (1987). Psychological distress, problem solving, and coping reactions: Sex role differences. Sex Roles, 16, 205-214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nezu, A. M., & Ronan, G. F. (1988). Social problem solving as a moderator of stre ssre lated depressive symptoms: A prospective analysis. Jo urn al of Coun seling Psycho logy, 35, 134-138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Girgus, J. S. (1994). The emergence of gende r differences in depression during adolescence. Psycholo gical Bulletin, 115, 424-443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, A. C., Compas, B. E., Brooks-Gunn, J., Stemmler, M., Ey, S., & Grant, K. E. (1993). Depression in adolescence. American Psycholo gist, 48, 155-168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pronovost, J., CoÃteÂ, L., & Ross, C. (1990). Etude e pide miologique des comportements suicidaire s che z les adolescents de niveau secondaire. San te Mentale au Canada, 38, 10-16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1991). The use of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale in adolescents and young adults [Special Issue: The eme rgence of depressive symptoms during adolescence ]. Jou rnal of Youth an d Ado lescen ce, 20, 149-166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, W. M. (1992). Depre ssion in children and adolescents. In W. M. Reynolds (Ed.), Internalizing disorders in children and ad olescents (pp. 149-253). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutter, M. (1986). The deve lopmental psychopathology of depression: Issue s and perspective s. In M. Rutter, C. E. Izard, & P. B. Read (Eds.),Dep ression in youn g peo ple:Developmen tal and clinical persp ectives. New York: Guilford Pre ss.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strober, M., Green, J., & Carlson, G. (1981). Utility of the Beck Depre ssion Inventory with psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Journ al of Consu lting and Clinical Psycho logy, 49, 482-483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teri, L. (1982). The use of the Be ck Depression Inventory with adolescents. Jo urn al of Abnormal Child Psycho logy, 10, 277-284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tousignant, M., Hamel, J., & Bastien, M. F. (1988). Structure familiale, re lations parents-enfants e t conduites suicidaires aÁ l'e cole secondaire. Sante Mentale au Que bec, 13, 79-93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L., Heppner, P. P., & Be rry, T. R. (1997). Role of gender-related personality traits, problem-solving appraisal, and perceive d social support in developing a mediational model of psychological adjustment. Jou rn al of Coun seling Psych ology, 44, 245-255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R., & Cairns, E. (1988). Sex-role attributes, perceive d competence and the develop ment of depression in adolescence. Jou rnal of Child Psycho logy and Psychiatry, 29, 635-650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, J. L., & Whitaker, D. J. (1993). Depressive mood states and their cognitive and personality corre lates in college students: They improve over time. Jou rnal of Clinical Psycho logy, 49, 615-621.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Diane Marcotte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michel Alain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marie-Josee Gosselin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marcotte, D., Alain, M. & Gosselin, MJ. Gender Differences in Adolescent Depression: Gender-Typed Characteristics or Problem-Solving Skills Deficits?. Sex Roles 41, 31–48 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018833607815

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018833607815

Keywords

Search

Navigation