Abstract
The tendency to appraise naturally occurring life events (LEs) as having high negative impact may be a predisposing factor
for the development of depression and anxiety disorders. In the current study, appraisals of the negative impact of recent
LEs were examined in relationship to depressive and anxiety disorders in a sample of 653 adolescents who were administered
diagnostic and life stress interviews at ages 15 and 20. Participants’ appraisals of the negative impact of LEs reported at
age 15 were statistically adjusted using investigator-based ratings to control for objective differences across LEs. Higher
appraisals of the negative impact of LEs were associated with both past and current depressive and anxiety disorders at age
15 and predicted subsequent first onsets of depressive and anxiety disorders occurring between ages 15 and 20. In addition,
appraisals of the negative impact of LEs were particularly elevated among those experiencing both a depressive and anxiety
disorder over the course of the study. The findings suggest that systematically elevated appraisals of the negative impact
of LEs are a predisposing factor for depression and anxiety disorders and may represent a specific risk factor for co-morbid
depression and anxiety in mid-adolescence and early adulthood.
for the development of depression and anxiety disorders. In the current study, appraisals of the negative impact of recent
LEs were examined in relationship to depressive and anxiety disorders in a sample of 653 adolescents who were administered
diagnostic and life stress interviews at ages 15 and 20. Participants’ appraisals of the negative impact of LEs reported at
age 15 were statistically adjusted using investigator-based ratings to control for objective differences across LEs. Higher
appraisals of the negative impact of LEs were associated with both past and current depressive and anxiety disorders at age
15 and predicted subsequent first onsets of depressive and anxiety disorders occurring between ages 15 and 20. In addition,
appraisals of the negative impact of LEs were particularly elevated among those experiencing both a depressive and anxiety
disorder over the course of the study. The findings suggest that systematically elevated appraisals of the negative impact
of LEs are a predisposing factor for depression and anxiety disorders and may represent a specific risk factor for co-morbid
depression and anxiety in mid-adolescence and early adulthood.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9552-0
- Authors
- Emmanuel Peter Espejo, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
- Constance Hammen, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Patricia A. Brennan, Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627