Associations between positive mental well-being and depressive symptoms in Australian adolescents

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Zadow, Corinne and Houghton, Stephen and Hunter, Simon C. and Rosenberg, Michael and Wood, Lisa (2017) Associations between positive mental well-being and depressive symptoms in Australian adolescents. The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 34 (2). pp. 95-105. ISSN 2059-0776 (https://doi.org/10.1017/edp.2017.6)

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Abstract

This study examined the association and directionality of effect between mental wellbeing and depressive symptoms in Australian adolescents. Data were collected on two occasions 21 months apart. At Time 1, 1,762 10-14 year old adolescents from a range of socio-economic status areas participated. At Time 2, 1,575 participated again. On both occasions The Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS) and The Children's Depression Inventory 2 (CDI 2) were administered via online survey. Cross-lagged, longitudinal path analyses demonstrated a negative association between earlier symptoms of depression and later positive mental wellbeing, and that the reverse was also true, though weaker. The model accounted for 20% of the variance in males' T2 CDI 2 depressive symptom scores (26% for females) and 21% of the variance in males' T2 SWEMWBS mental wellbeing scores (23% for females). Depressive symptomatology and mental wellbeing were highly correlated, but symptoms of depression were more strongly associated with later mental wellbeing than vice-versa. This has implications for educational psychologists, teachers, health professionals and policy makers seeking to reduce depressive symptoms or promote mental wellbeing. Focussing solely on the promotion of mental wellbeing, without intervening to reduce symptoms of depression, may limit the potential outcomes that might be achieved.

ORCID iDs

Zadow, Corinne, Houghton, Stephen, Hunter, Simon C. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3922-1252, Rosenberg, Michael and Wood, Lisa;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:60903
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    1 December 2017
    Published
    6 September 2017
    Published Online
    12 June 2017
    Accepted
    Notes:This is an electronic version of an article published in Zadow, C., Houghton, S., Hunter, S. C., Rosenberg, M., & Wood, L. (2017). Associations between positive mental well-being and depressive symptoms in Australian adolescents. The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 34(2), 95-105. DOI: 10.1017/edp.2017.6. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © Australian Psychological Society Ltd 2017
    Subjects:Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology
    Department:Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > Psychological Sciences and Health > Psychology
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:12 Jun 2017 10:23
    Last modified:11 Nov 2024 11:43
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/60903
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