Explaining gender differences in psychological distress among adolescents : the roles of interpersonal problems and response styles

The preponderance of female depression is a widespread phenomenon that emerges as early as adolescence. Two diverse lines of psychosocial research were explored in the present study with the aim of helping to explain these gender differences. The first concerned the role of two interpersonal problems, feeling overly responsible for the welfare of others and feeling unassertive in relationships, which have been linked to psychological distress in adolescents (Aube, Fichman, Saltaris, & Koestner, 1997). The second focused on the differential response styles of males and females, rumination and distraction (Nolen-Hooksema, 1987). Results demonstrated that feeling overly responsible for others, and engaging in a ruminative response style were most predictive of psychological distress. As well, gender differences emerged among the older adolescents in psychological distress, feeling too responsible, and in rumination. Overall, the present findings suggested that, between the ages of 16 and 18, females become more likely than males to feel overly responsible for the welfare of others and to adopt a ruminative response style, which appears to make them more vulnerable to psychological distress