Cognitive Vulnerability-Stress Model in predicting depressive symptoms amongst university students
Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: With the global and local incidence rates of depression and suicide being rapidly on the rise, efforts in research to identify casual factors which increase an individual’s vulnerability to depression have been widely undertaken. However, in South Africa there still remains a paucity of information in the area of cognitive-vulnerability or diathesis to depression. The present study investigated whether negative life events (i.e., stress) interact with negative cognitive style (i.e., hopelessness) to predict depressive symptoms in South African university students. Gender differences in the predictive associations between stress, hopelessness and depression were also included in the analyses. A survey was completed by 304 university students (mean age = 21.66 years; SD = 3.485). The research design is quantitative in nature and took the form of a cross-sectional study. Using path analysis (PA) the findings of this research study indicated that hopelessness moderates the relationship between stress and depression. It was also found that stress and hopelessness were more strongly associated with depression for male students than for female students. Recommendations for future studies and limitations pertaining to the present study are also discussed.
Author: Chanelle Maistry
Language: English
Topic: Student Stress and Coping
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2552665486