Sex differences in depression across the high school to college transition

Although adolescent and adult females have consistently been found to experience depression at twice the rate of males, the college population has represented a notable exception, with equal rates of depression reported for males and females. Using a cross-sectional design with equivalent measures, we explored the nature of these shifting population statistics by the following: (a) examining whether college females were reporting lower levels of depression, or college males were reporting higher levels of depression, relative to same-sex high school peers; and (b) exploring a number of relevant psychological and psychosocial/environmental variables that might explain these shifts. Replicating previous findings on the presence or absence of gender differences in depression in adolescent vs. college subjects, our data also indicated that this shift could be accounted for by lower levels of depression reported by college, relative to high school, females. Moreover, although psychological variables were the best overall predictors of females' depression levels, differences between high school and college females were best explained by psychosocial/environmental variables. Results are discussed in terms of the contextual features associated with the college environment that might protect women against depression and account for differential depression levels.Graduate student in the Ph.D. program in clinical psychologyResearch interests include cognitive, interpersonal, and social-environmental factors associated with depression.Received Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Research interests include cognitive and developmental aspects of depression. This research was supported, in part, by a faculty grant from Emory University to Linda Koenig.     

Adjustment and sex-role orientation in adolescence

The purpose of the present study was to reexamine the relationship between sex-role orientation and self-esteem in adolescence. One hundred and six senior high school students completed the Rosenberg self-esteem measure (Rosenberg, 1965) and two measures of sex-role orientation, the Bem Sex Role Inventory, Short Form (BSRI; Bem, 1981), and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire Short Form (PAQ; Spence et al., 1975). The relationship between sex-role orientation and self-esteem was found to vary depending on the sex-role measure employed. Results of the BSRI revealed that androgynous individuals had higher levels of self-esteem than masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated adolescents. PAQ results indicated that androgynous individuals had higher levels of self-esteem than feminine and undifferentiated individuals. When the independent contributions of masculinity and femininity were assessed, both BSRI and PAQ masculinity and femininity significantly predicted self-esteem. Analyses also revealed that the effects of sex-role orientation on self-esteem varied by sex across both the BSRI and PAQ. Implications of the present findings for previous work on sex-role development in adolescence are discussed.Received Ph.D. in human development and family studies from Texas Tech University. Present research interests are sex-role orientation and its relationship to self-esteem, adjustment, and shyness in adolescents and young adults.     

Sex differences within the family: Studies of adolescent and parent family interactions

Sex differences in verbal family interactions were investigated in a group of 79 adolescents and parents from normal and psychiatric settings. The analyses were designed to study these differences in both generations, parent and adolescent. Parent and adolescent interactions with one another were observed in a semistructured, revealed-differences family discussion. All of the individual speeches were then scored with our Constraining and Enabling Coding System (CECS). Initial predictions involved both adolescent and parent differences. These hypotheses were only partially confirmed. The strongest findings pertained to parent sex differences, as we found strikingly higher levels of cognitive enabling speeches expressed by fathers and significantly more speeches addressed to fathers. We discuss several alternative interpretations of these findings. Perspectives included in our considerations are direction of effect and influences of task/context upon the expression of family sex differences.This study was supported through a grant from the National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD Grant No. R01 HD18684-02) and a Research Scientist Development Award No. 5 K-02-MH-70178 (Dr. Hauser) from the NIMH.Received M.D. from Yale University and Ph.D. from Harvard University (psychology). Currently studying family contexts of adolescent development.Received B.A. from Michigan University. Currently graduate student in organizational behavior, Northwestern University. Current interests are women and work.Received his Ph.D. from Boston University. Research interests are in methodology and statistics.Henry A. Murray Research Center of Radcliffe College. Received Ed. D. from Harvard University (School of Education). Currently studying family coping processes in response to stressful events.Received Ph.D. from Ohio State University (psychology). Current interests in assessing ego development and family systems.Parent-Place, Judge Baker Guidance Center. Received Ph.D. from the University of Miami (clinical psychology). Research interests are in family studies and adolescent development.Received M.D. from the University of Chicago. Currently studying psychological consequences of diabetes mellitus.the Children's Unit of McLean Hospital. Received Diploma Psych. from Freie Universitat, Berlin (clinical psychology), and Ed.D. from Harvard University (School of Education). Currently studying relationships between psychopathology and development among adolescent psychiatric patients.     

Sex differences in the identity formation of college students from divorced families

This study was desgined to examine gender differences in identity formation in late adolescents from divorced mother-custody families. Fifty-seven female and thirty-nine male college students ranging in age from 17 to 25 years completed the Child's Report of Parental Behavior [E. S. Schaeffer (1965) Children's Reports of Parental Behavior: An Inventory, Child Development, Vol. 36, pp. 412–482] and were interviewed using the J. E. Marcia [(1966) Development and Validation of Ego Identity Status, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 3, pp. 551–558] semistructured Identity Status Interview. While no differences between males and females were found in ratings of overall identity status, significantly more females were in the achieved category within the domains of occupation and attitudes toward premarital sex. Also, males perceived their mothers as significantly more accepting and less controlling than did females. The absence of the father and the altered role of the mother appear to have a differential impact on males and females who have grown up in mother-custody families. Implications of these and other findings are discussed.Received Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University. Research interests include adolescent identity formation, the intersection and integration of personal and career counseling, and career development.     

Sex role and dating orientation

The assumption that males approach dating from a pronounced psychobiological orientation while females approach it from a psychoaffectional orientation was questioned. The sex role adopted by the individual was considered to be as important a variable as biological sex. Male and female subjects from three age groups, 16–17 years, 19–20 years, and 24–25 years, completed questionnaires designed to measure their sex roles and dating orientations. All groups of males were found to approach the dating relationship from both a psychoaffectional and psychobiological orientation, while all groups of females approached it from a psychoaffectional orientation and showed an increase in psychobiological orientation with increasing age and increasing depth of relationship. Significant differences were also found in dating attitudes between male and female subjects adopting different sex roles. It was concluded that neither masculinity and femininity, nor psychobiological and psychoaffectional attitudes to dating, lie on single continua. Masculine and feminine sex roles as independent dimensions influence psychobiological and psychoaffectional orientations to dating which are in themselves independent dimensions and not ends of a single continuum.Received her B.A. (Hons. 1) at Macquarie University and Dip. Teaching from Syndney Teachers' College. Current research interest is adolescent sexuality.Received M.A. (Hons. I) and Ph.D. at University of Sydney. Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society. Chairman (Sydney Branch) of the Australian Psychological Society. Current research interest is the psychology of adolescence.     

Gender and developmental differences in adolescents' conceptions of moral reasoning

Eighth graders, 11th graders, and college sophomores wrote open-ended essays that characterized their own approaches to moral reasoning. Their essays were scored for the presence of various themes. Students also responded to three dilemmas from the Defining Issues Test (Rest, 1979). Students then rated their own use of justice and care orientations in moral reasoning, using a previously developed instrument (Ford and Lowery, 1986; Lyons, 1983). Characterizations of moral reasoning became more multifaceted and thorough with grade, and correlated with many traditional measures of moral reasoning. Males and females showed some, but relatively few, differences in characterizing their own moral reasoning, although females tended to respond more thoroughly to the open-ended task. Gender differences, when they occurred, were mostly found on measures that assessed so-called feminine issues or concerns, but not on traditional measures of moral reasoning. Characterizations of moral reasoning clustered into five dimensions, raising questions about the utility of the constructs of justice and care orientations.The first and third authors received financial support from a Ford-Mellon grant made to Carleton College. Results of this study were presented at the 1990 meeting of the Society for Research in Adolescence.Received Ph.D. in Psychology and M.S.E. in Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, and has research interests in the development of reasoning skills, decision making, and conceptual development.Received Ph.D. in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and has research interests in adolescent development and adolescent psychopathology.Received B.A. in Psychology from Carleton College in 1990. Has interests in adolescence and chemical dependence.     

Gender differences associated with playing high school varsity soccer

Despite the increased participation of girls in competitive high school athletics, it is unclear that play on sports teams holds the same meaning for adolescent boys and girls. This study investigated school, grade, (freshman and sophomore vs junior and senior), and gender differences associated with a range of factors related to participation in high school varsity soccer play among 65 students attending two high schools, one emphasizing achievement, the other emphasizing competitive involvement in athletics, including soccer. Also of interest was the relationship between both soccer involvement and soccer knowledge and school climate, empathy, occupational interest, and perceived parent behavior. Because gender differences were found in comparative and correlational analysis, it is concluded that play on varsity soccer teams holds different meanings and values for adolescent boys and girls.An earlier version of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Denver, November 1984. The two authors shared equally in carrying out the research reported here.She received her doctorate in sociology and education from the University of Minnesota. Her research interests include children's social development and games, the transition from school to work, and schools in central cities.He received his doctorate in developmental psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research interests include social cognitive development, gay and lesbian relationships, and the effects of divorce on children.     

Identity status in high school students: Critique and a revised paradigm

The validity of applying the Marcia identity status paradigm to study of high school students is examined. Uncritical categorization of young adolescents into the identity statuses originally validated upon university students raises various issues. A revised paradigm for study of identity style among high school students is presented. It is suggested that the issues raised—the validity of measures for varying age groups and the role of environmental demands—are related to the eventual formulation of a life-span conceptualization of identity style.Received his Ph.D. from University of Toronto. Research interests are life-span developmental psychology and adolescent behavior.Received B. A. from the Northeastern Illinois University.     

Ego identity status and expressive writing among high school and college students

Several studies were conducted to assess the relationship between expressive writing (poetry writing and journal keeping) and ego identity development among high school and college students. In three independent comparisons, poetry writers were more likely than students not writing poetry to have previously resolved identity crises (i.e., to be in the identity achiever status). There were also indications that students who had never written poetry were more likely to be in the foreclosure and identity diffusion statuses. No differences in identity development were found between students keeping personal journals and those who had not kept journals. A comparison was made of the themes most frequently chosen as the subject for each type of expressive writing and the functions such writings were believed to be serving. Possible explanations for why poetry writing, but not journal keeping, is related to ego identity formation are discussed.Received his Ph.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo. Research interests include psychosocial development during adolescence, youth, and adulthood and techniques for resolving identity crises.Research interests include identity development in early and midadolescence and the choice of models.     

Risks entailed in teenage intoxication as perceived by junior and senior high school students

In a survey of 1269 junior and senior high school students in a Massachusetts community, a large majority of the respondents indicated they recognized many immediate and long-term risks involved in getting drunk at their age. A considerable minority of the sample, however, did not believe that there were significant hazards associated with youthful intoxication. Implications of the study for educators, counselors, parents, and others concerned about the prevalence of teenage drunkenness are explored.Current research interest are occupational safety and health, and alcohol and youth.Current interests are statistical research and curriculum development.     

Sex differences in depression and explanatory style in children

We report data from the first two years of a longitudinal study of depression, and explanatory style in children. Measures of these variables have been obtained from a group of elementary school children every six months since they were in the third grade. Results show that the boys consistently reported more depressive symptoms than the girls. This was particularly true for symptoms of anhedonia and behavioral disturbance. The boys also showed much more maladaptive explanatory styles than the girls. These results are discussed in light of previous studies of sex differences in children's attributions. Possible reasons for the expected switch in the sex differences in puberty are also discussed.Received Ph.D. from University of Pennsylvania. Research interests are depression and emotion regulation.Received Ph.D. from New School for Social Research. Research interests are achievement and depression.Received Ph.D. from University of Pennsylvania. Research interests are depression and explanatory style.     

The extent and effects of peer pressure among high school students: A retrospective analysis

Although people assume that peer pressure is an influential component of adolescent development, few empirical studies have investigated the nature and extent of its influence. Using retrospective accounts from 297 college undergraduates, the present study assessed how much pressure peers exerted in numerous areas of high school life and how this pressure influenced teenagers' attitudes and behaviors. One-third of both genders identified peer pressure as one of the hardest things they had to face as a teenager. Generally, however, peer pressure appeared stronger for females than males, and the genders disagreed about the areas in which pressure was strongest. Perceptions of peer pressure were significantly associated with dating attitudes, sexual activity, and use of drugs and alcohol, but not with relationships with parents. The findings suggested that adolescents may be their own worst enemy in any attempt to break away from gender-stereotypic attitudes and behavior.Received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Committee on Human Development. Research interests include effects of peer and confidant relationships on adolescents' identity development and ability to cope with stressful life changes.     

Cheating in high school: A comparison of behavior of students in the college prep and general curriculum

A sampling of 1629 students, from 22 high schools, responded to questions regarding cheating in and outside of school. Of this number, 515 were enrolled in the college prep and 744 in the general curriculum. More similarities than statistically significant differences were found in a comparison of their responses. From 25 to 75% of their peers were estimated to be cheaters. Boys were more often guilty than girls. Cheating in mathematics was most common. Failure was the agreed upon punishment for apprehension—to be administered by the teacher. Neither group would squeal on a cheater. A similar number of each would cheat in a pinch. Both have turned in the work of others. Students in both curricular areas agreed that cheating transferred from school to job. Crime does not pay. Cheating was usually discovered. Breaking a law was a form of dishonesty. However, more college prep students admitted trying to cheat on tests while fewer of them would resort to plagiarism or lie to their parents about school. More general students felt that cheating hurt the cheater and few would trust one.Received ED.D. from Georgia Peabody College for Teachers. Currently is a Professor of Educational Psychology in the College of Education at the University of Georgia, teaching courses in Educational Psychology and Adolescent Psychology. Major research interest is in adolescence.     

Pilot study examining factors asscociated with academic success for hispanic high school students

This study examines characteristics that distinguish succeeding and failing Hispanic students at an inner-city high school. While research on this topic has historically focused on dropouts, this study seeks to better understand successful high school students. Participants in the study were 48 Hispanic tenth-grade students at a large, predominantly minority and low-income high school. High-and low-risk groups were identified on the basis of ninth-grade attendance rates and course failures. When compared to their high-risk counterparts, low-risk students were found to be more satisfied with their school and to maintain a social group predominantly free of gang members. The findings are discussed in terms of how the distinguishing variables contribute to students' success.Obtained degree in clinical-community psychology from DePaul University. Research focuses on adolescent risk factors, particularly as they relate to academic success and high school completion.Earned degree in clinical-community psychology from the University of Rochester. Has published extensively on issues related to prevention and community psychology. Most recently work has focused on strategies to help high-risk school transfer children adjust to the academic demands of their new schools.     

Sex differences in identity and intimacy development in college youth

This study examined sex differences in the processes of identity and intimacy development among college youth. Fifty males, and 50 females were given measures of identity status, intimacy status, and self-esteem. Males were found to focus on intrapersonal aspects of identity status, intimacy status, and self-esteem. Males were found to focus on intrapersonal aspects of identity, females on interpersonal aspects. The pursuit of various identity development pathways affected self-esteem differentially for the two sexes. More females than males were found to be intimate and the achievement of intimacy seemed more closely related to identity in males than in females. The findins were interpreted in the context of Eriksonian theory, which seemed more adequate in explaining male than female development.This article is based in part on the doctoral dissertation by James W. Hodgson in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy degree, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.Received his Ph. D. in human development and family studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Current research interests include normative and dysfunctional development of late adolescence.Received her Ph.D. in social personality psychology from the University of Colorado. Current research interests include the developments of friendships and sex roles in adolescence.     

Sex differences in intellectual and ego development in late adolescence

Perry's scheme of intellectual and ethical development was examined for sex differences with respect to areas of identity concern for which sex differences have been suggested: occupational choice, interpersonal relationships, and sexual identity. The content area of religion and ego development, as measured by Loevinger's sentence completion test (SCT), were also examined. Thirty-one females and 29 males participated. An interview format which applied Perry's unstructured approach to each of the four areas was utilized. Transcribed interviews and SCTs were rated blind. Structural as well as content analyses were performed. Structural analyses revealed no significant sex differences overall or by content area. However, multiple and stepwise regression analyses revealed patterns in which male personality processes consistently focused upon occupational issues while female processes focused upon interpersonal and sexual issues. Ego development was found to be highly correlated with intellectual development for men but unrelated for women. Content analyses suggest that women focus their interpersonal worlds developmentally upon issues of trust while men focus upon issues of rightness. Results are interpreted in the context of recent works by Gilligan concerning sex differences in development.Completing his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Miami University. Current research interests include adolescent and female development and family therapy.Received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Florida. Current research interests include women's development, assessment, and psychotherapy.     

Sex differences in the resolution of the identity crisis

Based on Erikson's view of the importance of inner space in feminine identity, researchers have added an interview on premarital sex to the standard ego identity interview on occupation, religion, and politics used for males. This study was designed to investigate the relative importance of premarital sexual ideology for males and females, as well as sex differences in identity status on occupation, religion, and politics. Marcia's semi-structured ego identity status interview was given to 70 male and 70 female college students, with premarital sex questions included for both sexes. Consistent with Erikson's theory, females were more likely than males to have experienced a sexual identity crisis, whereas males were very likely to be foreclosed in this area. Males as well as females were more likely to be committed about sex than about any other area. In all areas except sex, female identity followed basically the same pattern as male identity.Received her Ph.D. from State University of New York at Buffalo. Current research interests are ego identity and human sexuality.Received his Ph. D. from State University of New York at Albany. Current research interests are mental health evaluation and behavior therapy.     

Sex differences in the causes of adolescent suicide ideation

A model that incorporates both socioenvironmental and psychological factors was developed in an attempt to explain adolescent suicide ideation. A sample of 407 high school students was used to test the model. Most of the previous research on the causes of adolescent suicidal behavior has not used multivariate data analysis techniques and has failed to explore sex differences. Results of the present study suggest that these are important omissions. Although significant at the zero-order level, factors such as self-esteem and interpersonal problems at school were not related to suicide ideation when the effects of the other explanatory variables were controlled. The incidence of suicide ideation was higher for females. Emotional problems and involvement in delinquent behavior were important predictors of ideation for females, while employment problems were the most potent predictor for males.Received his Ph.D. from Florida State University. Current interest is the etiology of various forms of deviant behavior, especially among adolescents.Therapist, Story County Center for Personal Development. Received her M.A. in clinical sociology from Iowa State University.     

Sex differences in the Beck Depression inventory scores of adolescents

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the potential differences between male and female adolescents in their performance on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as a function of demographic variables and variables related to their living conditions. Three hundred and twelve adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 completed the BDI and a questionnaire dealing with the variables mentioned above. All adolescents were from the Western Quebec area and were registered at De l'Ile High School (Hull) or at L'Erablière High School (Gatineau). Differences in the BDI scores were observed between female and male adolescents, with females scoring significantly higher than males. However, none of the variables included in the questionnaire had a differential effect on the BDI scores of either male or female adolescents. The results are discussed in light of their relationship with some adjustment factors in adolescence.This is a modified version of a poster paper presented at the 15th annual meeting of the European Association for Behaviour Therapy, Munich, August 1985. Participation at this conference was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (461-85-0373) to the first author. The authors wish to thank Madeleine Fortin and Lyne Prud'homme for their assistance, as well as Gilles Boudrias and Lionel Fournier for their cooperation.Received his Ph.D. from University of Ottawa. Major research interest is depression in adolescents.Research interest is behavior in adolescents.