Stability and change of cognitive vulnerabilities from late childhood through adolescence

Schweizer, Tina Hsu

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/116022 Copy

Description

Title

Stability and change of cognitive vulnerabilities from late childhood through adolescence

Author(s)

Schweizer, Tina Hsu

Issue Date

2022-06-09

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Hankin, Benjamin L.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Hankin, Benjamin L.

Committee Member(s)

• Briley, Daniel L.
• Cohen, Joseph R.
• Fraley, R. Chris
• Rudolph, Karen D.

Department of Study

Psychology

Discipline

Psychology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• depression
• cognitive vulnerability
• cognitive risk
• children
• adolescents
• mean-level stability
• mean-level change
• rank-order stability
• rank-order change
• growth curve modeling
• longitudinal

Abstract

Negative inferential style, dysfunctional attitudes and rumination are prominent cognitive vulnerabilities (CVs) often conceptualized as traits that contribute to depression and gender differences in depression. However, little is known about their development and stabilization in youth. The present study characterized patterns of rank-order and mean-level stability of CVs from age 9 to 18 and explored gender differences in these patterns using a multi-cohort accelerated longitudinal design of community youth in 3rd, 6th, and 9th grade (N=679; Mage=12.03; 55% girls, 45% boys) who completed repeated questionnaire assessments of CVs across three years. Results showed that rank-order stability (1.5-year test-retest correlations) was moderate in younger youth (ages 9-12) and relatively stronger in older youth (ages 13.5-18) (mean rs=.42 and .51 for dysfunctional attitudes; .50 and .60 for negative inferential style; .37 and .48 for rumination). Rank-order stability over time was explained by an enduring, trait factor for all CVs as well as by contextual, time-varying factors for dysfunctional attitudes and brooding, but not negative inferential style. No gender differences emerged for factors explaining rank-order stability across development. Mean-level patterns for all CVs were characterized by discontinuous 3-piece linear trajectories. All CVs showed an initial decline in late childhood and a divergent pattern in adolescence. Dysfunctional attitudes and negative inferential style showed increasing levels in earlier adolescence and peaks in later adolescence while rumination showed stable levels throughout adolescence. Girls showed higher risk mean-level trajectories relative to boys for rumination and negative inferential style; no gender differences in trajectories were found for dysfunctional attitudes. Clinically, earlier adolescence could be a promising period for depression prevention efforts targeting CVs as they demonstrate relatively weaker rank-order stability, and most CVs do not yet show mean-level peaks.

Graduation Semester

2022-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Tina Schweizer

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