No abstract

We investigated the association of social supports and stresses with depressive symptoms in a sample of Ill predominately low-income mothers of young children. The prevalence of high depressive symptoms, as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), was 48 per cent. Among unmarried women, everyday stressors were strongly associated with depressive symptoms, while life events were weakly related.Associations between these variables were not found for married

This study investigated problems commonly experienced by adolescents and the strategies they use to cope with these events. Coping strategies were examined across the subjects' emotional state and their evaluation of the problem. In general, adolescents reported four common stressors that were similar across age groups and gender. However, males differed from females in the frequency of these problems. Further, while the stressors were similar, the frequency with which the coping strategies were employed and the efficacy ascribed to them differed across sex and across problem type. These findings are discussed in terms of the stress and coping literature with adults and the implications for clinical assessment and treatment of adolescents.

The psychometric properties of the Hopelessness Scale for Children (HSC) were evaluated with a sample of 834 normal adolescents and 93 adolescent suicide attempters. Factor analyses studies revealed two factors with both groups. Internal consistency with item-total score correlations were acceptable, while moderate test-retest reliability was found over a 10-week period with the normal sample. Support for the validity of the HSC was provided via studies with the suicide attempter group in which positive correlations with depression and depressive attributional style were found. Predicted differences between the suicide attempters, an outpatient psychiatric sample, and normal controls were also found. However, some items did not appear to discriminate suicide attempters from controls. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of the HSC with adolescents and adolescent suicide attempters and with regard to differences between child and adult samples in hopelessness.