Predicting dysphoria in adolescence from actual and perceived peer acceptance in childhood

Abstract

Predicted dysphoria in midadolescence using actual and perceived peer acceptance of 68 4th and 5th graders (48% male, 30% minority). Main effect, additive, and interactive models for predicting dysphoria were examined. Perceived acceptance predicted later dysphoria, after controlling for initial levels of dysphoria, supporting the main effect model. Actual acceptance did not uniquely contribute to prediction of later dysphoria, and actual acceptance did not moderate the prediction of dysphoria from perceived acceptance. Sex differences in dysphoria were significant, but sex did not moderate the predictive links between perceived acceptance and dysphoria.

Empirical evidence of cognitive vulnerability for depression among children and adolescents: A cognitive science and developmental perspective

“…Table 1 presents prospective studies that explore self-perception and depression. Evidence supporting negative self-perception as a proximal vulnerability to depressive symptoms is found in eight (Cole, Jacquez, & Maschman, 2001;Cole, Martin, & Powers, 1997;Cole, Martin, Powers, & Truglio, 1996;Kistner, Balthazor, Risi, & Burton, 1999;Measelle et al, 1998;Ohannessian, Lerner, Lerner, & von Eye, 1999; of the fourteen studies. Mixed evidence is found in three studies (Cole, Martin, Peeke, Seroczynski, & Fier, 1999;Hoffman, Cole, Martin, Tram, & Seroczynski, 2000;Kistner, DavidFerdon, Repper, & Joiner, 2006), with an additional three studies (Cole, Martin, Peeke, Seroczynski, & Hoffman, 1998;Lewinsohn et al, 1994;McGrath & Repetti, 2002) presenting evidence that depression predicts self-perception.…”

Childhood loneliness as a predictor of adolescent depressive symptoms: an 8-year longitudinal study

“…Research emphasising the primacy of children's perceptions of social rejection [50] shows that actual rejection over time does not predict increased depression, but perceived rejection does [35].…”

Association Between the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Val158Met Polymorphism and Self-Perceived Social Acceptance in Adolescent Girls

“…A large body of research has established that low perceived social acceptance is a risk factor for emotional difficulties in adolescents (Cole et al 1996;Kistner et al 1999;Brendgen et al 2002;Teachman and Allen 2007). The current study is the first, however, to demonstrate a genetic association with this risk factor.…”

“…Indeed, low perceived social acceptance in youth is associated with increased depressive symptoms and diagnosed depression (Cole et al 1996;Kistner et al 1999;Brendgen et al 2002), as well as with social anxiety (Teachman and Allen 2007). Despite the wealth of evidence linking children's perception of their social status with emotional well-being, we know much less about the role that genes play in the origins of perceived social acceptance.…”

“…Although perceived competence is often treated as an aggregate measure of multiple domains of competence, including social, scholarly, athletic, physical, and behavioral domains, there is clearly discriminant validity among measures of competence in these multiple areas (Harter 1982). In fact, social acceptance in particular seems to be related consistently to childhood psychopathology (Kistner et al 1999;Zimmer-Gembeck et al 2007). Importantly, in the current study, COMT predicted differences only in perceived social acceptance and not in competence more broadly, thereby highlighting the specificity of the role of COMT in social functioning and documenting the importance of distinguishing perceived social acceptance from other domains of competence.…”