Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 11/2012

01-11-2012 | Original Paper

Gender differences in psychosocial functioning of adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression: longitudinal findings from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study

Authors: Ruth Derdikman-Eiron, Marit S. Indredavik, Inger Johanne Bakken, Grete H. Bratberg, Odin Hjemdal, Matthew Colton

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 11/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

To explore longitudinally gender differences in the associations between psychosocial functioning, subjective well-being and self-esteem among adolescents with and without symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Methods

Data were obtained from a major population-based Norwegian study, the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, in which 1,092 boys and 1,262 girls (86% of all invited) completed an extensive self-report questionnaire at baseline (mean age 14.4 years) and at follow-up (mean age 18.4 years).

Results

Gender was a moderator variable in the associations between symptoms of anxiety and depression and impairment, meaning that boys’ functioning was impaired to a larger extent than girls’ functioning. A statistically significant interaction effect between gender and symptoms of anxiety and depression was found at follow-up in terms of subjective well-being (p < 0.05), self-esteem (p < 0.05), academic problems (p < 0.01), behaviour problems (p < 0.01) and frequency of meeting friends (p < 0.001). Onset of symptoms between baseline and follow-up was associated with less frequent meetings with friends among boys, but not among girls. After remission of symptoms, boys still had more behaviour and academic problems, less frequently met friends and reported lower subjective well-being and self-esteem than boys who had no symptoms at both time points. No similar differences were found among the girls.

Conclusion

Previous and ongoing symptoms of anxiety and depression had more negative consequences for boys than for girls. These findings may contribute to improved assessment and intervention methods tailored differently for each gender.
Literature
1.
Lewinsohn PM, Rohde P, Seeley JR (1998) Major depressive disorder in older adolescents: prevalence, risk factors, and clinical implications. Clin Psychol Rev 18(7):765–794PubMedCrossRef
2.
Copeland WE, Shanahan L, Costello EJ, Angold A (2009) Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders as Predictors of Young Adult Disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry 66(7):764–772PubMedCrossRef
3.
Sourander A, Jensen P, Davies M, Niemela S, Elonheimo H, Ristkari T, Helenius H, Sillanmaki L, Piha J, Kumpulainen K, Tamminen T, Moilanen I, Almqvist F (2007) Who is at greatest risk of adverse long-term outcomes? The Finnish From a Boy to a Man Study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 46(9):1148–1161. doi:10.​1097/​chi.​0b013e31809861e9​ PubMedCrossRef
4.
Mazza JJ, Abbott RD, Fleming CB, Harachi TW, Cortes RC, Park J, Haggerty KP, Catalano RF (2009) Early predictors of adolescent depression a 7-year longitudinal study. Sage Publications Inc., Thousand Oaks, pp 664–692. doi:10.​1177/​0272431608324193​
5.
6.
7.
Wichstrom L (1999) The emergence of gender difference in depressed mood during adolescence: the role of intensified gender socialization. Dev Psychol 35(1):232–245PubMedCrossRef
8.
Rutter M (2007) Psychopathological development across adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 36(1):101–110CrossRef
9.
10.
Lewinsohn PM, Roberts RE, Seeley JR, Rohde P, Gotlib IH, Hops H (1994) Adolescent psychopathology 2: psychosocial risk-factors for depression. J Abnorm Psychol 103(2):302–315PubMedCrossRef
11.
Scheier LM, Botvin GJ (1997) Psychosocial correlates of affective distress: latent-variable models of male and female adolescents in a community sample. J Youth Adolesc 26(1):89–115CrossRef
12.
Larson RW, Richards MH, Raffaelli M, Ham M, Jewell L (1990) Ecology of depression in late childhood and early adolescence: a profile of daily states and activities. J Abnorm Psychol 99(1):92–102PubMedCrossRef
13.
Troop-Gordon W, Ladd GW (2005) Trajectories of peer victimization and perceptions of the self and schoolmates: precursors to internalizing and externalizing problems. Child Dev 76(5):1072–1091PubMedCrossRef
14.
Hunter T, Waters A, Pronk R, Zimmer-Gembeck M (2009) Depression as a longitudinal outcome and antecedent of preadolescents’ peer relationships and peer-relevant cognition. Dev Psychopathol 21(2):555–577PubMedCrossRef
15.
16.
Sund AM, Larsson B, Wichstrom L (2003) Psychosocial correlates of depressive symptoms among 12–14-year-old Norwegian adolescents. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 44(4):588–597PubMedCrossRef
17.
American Psychiatric Association (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC
18.
Takakura M, Sakihara S (2001) Psychosocial correlates of depressive symptoms among Japanese high school students. J Adolesc Health 28(1):82–89PubMedCrossRef
19.
Nes RB, Roysamb E, Tambs K, Harris J, Reichborn-Kjennerud T (2006) Subjective well-being: genetic and environmental contributions to stability and change. Psychol Med 36(7):1033–1042PubMedCrossRef
20.
Derdikman-Eiron R, Indredavik MS, Bratberg GH, Taraldsen G, Bakken IJ, Colton M (2011) Gender differences in subjective well-being, self-esteem and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression: findings from the Nord-Trøndelag health study. Scand J Psychol 52(3):261–267. doi:10.​1111/​j.​1467-9450.​2010.​00859.​x PubMedCrossRef
21.
Tambs K, Moum T (1993) How well can a few questionnaire items indicate anxiety and depression? Acta Psychiatr Scand 87(5):364–367PubMedCrossRef
22.
Storksen I, Roysamb E, Holmen TL, Tambs K (2006) Adolescent adjustment and well-being: effects of parental divorce and distress. Scand J Psychol 47(1):75–84PubMedCrossRef
23.
Moum T, Naess S, Sorensen T, Tambs K, Holmen J (1990) Hypertension labeling, life events and psychological well-being. Psychol Med 20(3):635–646PubMedCrossRef
24.
Ystgaard M (1993) Vulnerable adolescents and social support. An approach to prevent psychological distress and suicide. Center for Social Network, Oslo
25.
26.
Eme RF (1992) Selective female affliction in the developmental disorders of childhood––a literature-review. J Clin Child Psychol 21(4):354–364CrossRef
27.
Paus TT, Keshavan MM, Giedd JNJ (2008) Why do many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence? Nat Rev Neurosci 9(12):947–957PubMed
28.
Jenkins JM, Curwen T (2008) Change in adolescents’ internalizing symptomatology as a function of sex and the timing of maternal depressive symptomatology. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 47(4):399–405PubMedCrossRef
29.
Meltzer H, Gatward R, Goodman R, Ford T (1999) The mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain. Office for National Statistics, London
30.
Costello EJ, Egger H, Angold A (2005) 10-year research update review: the epidemiology of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders: I. Methods and public health burden. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 44(10):972–986PubMedCrossRef
31.
Bilenberg N, Petersen DJ, Hoerder K, Gillberg C (2005) The prevalence of child-psychiatric disorders among 8–9-year-old children in Danish mainstream schools. Acta Psychiatr Scand 111(1):59–67PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Gender differences in psychosocial functioning of adolescents with symptoms of anxiety and depression: longitudinal findings from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study
Authors
Ruth Derdikman-Eiron
Marit S. Indredavik
Inger Johanne Bakken
Grete H. Bratberg
Odin Hjemdal
Matthew Colton
Publication date
01-11-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 11/2012
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-012-0492-y

Other articles of this Issue 11/2012

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 11/2012 Go to the issue

Original Paper

Adjustment disorders: prevalence in a representative nationwide survey in Germany

Original Paper

Mental health research in the Arab world

Original Paper

Aggressive behaviour and psychosis in a clinically referred child and adolescent sample

Original Paper

Work functioning of schizophrenia patients in a rural south Indian community: status at 4-year follow-up

Original Paper

Case managers’ perspectives on the therapeutic alliance: a qualitative study

Original Paper

Prevalence of neurasthenia, comorbidity, and association with impairment among a nationally representative sample of US adults