Psychology

Depressive symptoms in low-income, urban adolescents: Cognitive and contextual factors

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among cognitive variables, family immigration history, negative life events, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 306 low-income, urban fifth- and sixth-grade children. Explanatory style and negative automatic thoughts were the cognitive variables examined. There were three key findings. First, children who were immigrants reported significantly more depressive symptoms, more negative life events, and more negative automatic thoughts than children who were not immigrants. Second, both explanatory style and negative automatic thoughts were significantly associated with depressive symptoms above and beyond the effects of child immigration history and negative life events. Finally, negative automatic thoughts mediated the relationship between child immigration history and depressive symptoms. We discuss the clinical and research implications of these findings. © 2014 Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Publication Title

Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community

Publication Date

2014

Volume

42

Issue

3

First Page

183

Last Page

195

ISSN

1085-2352

DOI

10.1080/10852352.2014.916575

Keywords

cognitive, context, depression, immigration, urban

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