Relationship between prosocial behaviors and depressive symptoms in adolescents in rural China

Abstract

Objective To examine the longitudinal relationship between the prosocial behaviors and depressive symptoms in rural adolescents using a cross-lagged model, and to provide a reference for improving mental health of adolescents. Methods Participants were junior school 372 students in grade seven recruited from a rural school in Anhui province, who filled the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and a short version of Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale (CESD-10) three times (once a year for 2 years), and the cross lag model is established. Results Depressive symptoms( r = 0.39–0.45) and prosocial behavior ( r = 0.43-0.46) of rural adolescents are relatively stable in junior middle school ( P <0.01); The depression score of adolescents in grade 9 was higher than that in grade 7 and 8 ( P <0.05) and girls’ depression score was higher than boys’ ( F =7.94, P <0.01). The relationships between prosocial behaviors (T1, T2, T3) and depressive symptoms(T1, T2, T3) were all negatively correlated in rural adolescents ( r = -0.23 ~ -0.13, P <0.05). Depressive symptoms in T1 and T2 could negatively predict prosocial behaviors in T2 and T3, respectively ((β T1-T2 = –0.10, β T2-T3 = –0.11, P <0.05), while prosocial behaviors in T2 could negatively predicted depressive symptoms in T3 ( β = –0.14, P <0.05). Conclusion During the three years of junior high school, the depressive symptoms of rural adolescents negatively predicted prosocial behavior, and from the second to the third year of junior high school, prosocial behavior negatively predicted depressive symptoms. Community health workers should pay more attention on depressive symptoms of rural adolescents, which could be prevented and improved through prosocial behavioral intervention, including helping and sharing. 【摘要】目的 探讨农村青少年在初中阶段抑郁症状和亲社会行为的关系及其动态变化, 为提髙青少年的心理健康 水平提供参考。 方法 选取安徽省某农村学校七年级学生 372 名为被试, 采用长处与困难问卷问卷（Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ) 亲社会行为分量表、流调抑有口量表简版（Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale, CESD - 10) 先后 3 次（分别间隔 12 个月)进行调査, 并建立交叉滞后模型。 结果 农村青少年抑郁症状（ r = 0.39~0.45) 和亲社会 行为（ r = 0.43~0.46) 在初中阶段发展较为稳定（ P <0.01)；青少年在初三年级的抑郁症状髙于初一及初二年级（ P <0.05)； 初中阶段女生亲社会行为髙于男生（ F =7.94, P <0.01); 青少年 3 年间的抑郁症状和亲社会行为均呈负相关（ r =–0.23~ –0.13, P 值均<0.05); 初一和初二年级的抑郁症状负向预测初二和初三年级亲社会行为 ( β 值分别为–0.10, –0.11, P 值均< 0.05)；初二到初三期间, 农村青少年的亲社会行为负向预测抑郁症状( β = –0.14, P <0.05)。 结论 初中三年间, 农村青少 年抑郁症状负向预测亲社会行为;初二到初三间, 亲社会行为负向预测抑郁症状。心理工作者应给予农村青少年的抑郁症 状更多关注, 可以通过提髙助人、分享利他行为等亲社会行为的方式来降低抑郁水平。