Social Goal Orientations, Interpersonal Stress, and Depressive Symptoms Among Early Adolescents in Japan: A Test of the Diathesis-Stress Model Using the Trichotomous Framework of Social Goal Orientations

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigated whether depression among early adolescents (aged 12-14 years, N = 116; 65 girls) can be predicted by interactions between social goal orientations and interpersonal stress. Based on Kuroda and Sakurai (2001), this study applied Elliot and Harackiewicz’s (1996) trichotomous framework of achievement goals to Dweck and Leggett’s (1988) model of social goals and investigated three types of social goals: social learning goals (to grow through interpersonal experiences), social performance-approach goals (to obtain positive evaluations), and social performance-avoidance goals (to avoid negative evaluations). The results indicated that social learning goals reduced the effects of interpersonal stress, thus protecting against depression, whereas social performance-avoidance goals exacerbated the effects of interpersonal stress, thereby developing depression. Social performance-approach goals neither reduced nor exacerbated the effects of interpersonal stress. The nature and functioning of these goals were discussed.