Gender as a longitudinal moderator of the relationship between attributional style and depressive symptoms over a 1-year period in preadolescent children

Abstract

Depressive symptoms and attributional style were assessed in a sample of 7- to 11-year-old children at two time points. Findings revealed that boys and girls did not differ in their level of depressive symptoms over 1 year. At baseline, boys were more likely than girls to make stable attributions for negative events. Boys made fewer stable attributions for positive events than did girls. Moderational analyses suggested that attributional style more strongly predicted changes in the number of depressive symptoms 1 year later in boys when compared to girls. Findings emphasize the need to address vulnerability factors in preadolescent boys that may put them at risk for the development of later depressive symptoms.