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Sources of Distress among New Zealand Adolescents
Author(s) -
McGee Rob,
Stanton Warren R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1992.tb00921.x
Subject(s) - distress , psychology , mental health , competence (human resources) , population , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , social competence , psychiatry , social change , medicine , social psychology , environmental health , economics , economic growth
This study examined sources of distress experienced by 15‐year‐old adolescents in a large sample from the general population. We identified four types of stressful life circumstances relating to problems of self‐image and independence, academic and physical competence, parental conflict, and moving residence and schools. Girls reported higher levels of distress for the first three types of circumstance. Reports of distress were associated with poor family social support, maternal depression and parental separation. Both DSM‐III disorder and poor social competence were associated with differential patterns of distress. Lastly, poor social competence and high distress were independent and additive predictors of mental health disorders.