Incongruities between perceived control and desire for control: accounting for depressive symptomology in adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence reflects a particularly challenging time for many individuals and is often accompanied by a rise in psychological difficulties. Symptoms of depression represent a particularly common problem experienced by adolescents, with over 21% of the population experiencing such symptoms at some point in their lives. These statistics underline the critical importance of understanding the cognitive mechanisms underpinning the upsurge of depressive symptoms during adolescence. Previous literature has emphasised the importance of both perceived control and desire for control in the manifestation of depressive symptomology. Indeed, contemporary research indicates that both greater perceived control and elevated desire for control are associated with a reduced risk of depression. This paper extends contemporary theories of depression and outlines a novel model to account for the rise in psychological difficulties during adolescence. Re-examination of the literature indicates that the upsurge of psychological difficulties during adolescence stems from a discrepancy between one’s desire for control and one’s perception of control. More specifically, it is argued that elevated desire for control in the absence of correspondingly high perceived control, at least partially, contributes to poor psychological welfare in adolescence. The clinical implications are subsequently discussed, with reference to the importance of considering the extent to which adolescents desire control over their lives when undertaking therapeutic interventions.