1. Acting Out When You’re Down and Out:
The Effects of Stressful Life Events and Depression on RVB Jenna Clarkson
Stefanie Allen
Advisors: Ellen S. Cohn, Ph.D.,& Lindsey M. Cole; Ph.D.
Introduction
Results
Discussion
An incident of life stress can be defined as an event or experience that produces severe strain. It has been previously studied by researchers that stressful life events could be:
low socioeconomic status³
disrupted family structure/interparental conflict³
negative life events (death, major accidents, etc.)³
There has also been several studies that have focused on depression. Depression can be defined as events that cause an increase in emotional distress. Research has shown that causes of depression can be:
enhancing intimacy10
coping with interpersonal concerns10
negative emotions10
Researchers also believe that stressful life events and depression are one in the same, and increase RVB. e.g.:
under-aged drinking
drug use
assault, etc.
The goal of this study is to determine whether or not there is a differentiation between stressful life events and depression, and if each of these alone can predict RVB.
The results supported our hypothesis
Stressful life events and depression are two independent variables in predicting RVB
Any type of life stressor is related to an increase in RVB
Depression is related to an increase in RVB The two variables of life stressors and depression do not have an effect on each other, meaning that stressful life events and depression together do not cause RVB
Implications:
The justice system could provide more rehabilitation centers for criminals that may have severe depression or have suffered immense stressful life events instead of mass prisons
Make separate programs for individuals that experience stressful life events and/or depression
Programs for children of divorce
Therapists should formulate plans for an individual to refrain from engaging in RVB
Limitations and Future Directions:
The data, although longitudinal, could only show correlation, not causation of the effects of stressful life events and depression on RVB
Our study used predictors from two different time points
Gender may also affect RVB and the effect of depression and stressful life events
Stressful life events and depression again may be more related to specific types of RVB (e.g., self harm, harm to others, drug use)
Stressful Life Events
Depression
RVB
1.00
.30***
.36***
.27***
*p<.05
**p<.01
***p<.001
Depression
.18***
Hypotheses
RVB
Hypothesis 1: Stressful life events will increase RVB
Hypothesis 2: Depression will increase RVB
.31***
Stressful Life Events
Method
References
New Hampshire Youth Study (NHYS), a longitudinal study focusing on determining reasons for adolescents’ rule violating behavior.
Participants:
8 middle schools and 5 high schools
Out of the 663 participants, the average age was 14.7 and 57.6% were female
Data was obtained by mass survey sessions in several middle schools and high school
Measures:
The data was collected at three time points:
Fall of 2007 (T1)
Spring of 2007 (T2)
Spring of 2009 (T3)
Procedure:
Using the data, we want to measure:
Stressful life events (M = , SD = ) (T2)
Depression (M = .94, SD = .71) (T1)
RVB (M = 3.20, SD = 4.01) (T3)
¹Arpawong, T. E., Sussman, S., Milam, J. E., Unger, J. B., Land, H., Sun, P., & Rohrbach, L. A. (2015). Post-traumatic growth, stressful life events, and relationships with substance use behaviors among alternative high school students: A prospective study. Psychology & Health, 30(4), doi: /
²Blum, A., & Singer, M. (1983). Substance abuse and social deviance: A youth assessment framework. Child & Youth Services, , 7.
³Chappel, A., Suldo, S., & Ogg, J. (2014). Associations between adolescents' family stressors and life satisfaction. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 23(1), doi: /s
⁴Cohn, E., & French, J. (2009). Predicting rule-violating behavior: A longitudinal study of legal attitudes and individual difference variables. Conference Papers -- Law & Society
⁵Drake, K. E., Bull, R., & Boon, J. C. W. (2008). Interrogative suggestibility, self-esteem, and the influence of negative life-events. Legal & Criminological Psychology, 13(2), doi: / X209981
⁶Francis, K. A. (2014). General strain theory, gender, and the conditioning influence of negative internalizing emotions on youth risk behaviors. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 12(1), doi: /
⁷Islam, N., & Laugen, C. (2015). Gender differences in depression and condom use among sexually active Canadians. Journal of Affective Disorders, 174, doi: /j.jad
⁸Mann, M. J., Kristjansson, A. L., Sigfusdottir, I. D., & Smith, M. L. (2014). The impact of negative life events on young adolescents: Comparing the relative vulnerability of middle level, high school, and college-age students. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 38(2), Retrieved from
⁹McFarlane, S., Younger, N., Francis, D., Gordon-Strachan, G., & Wilks, R. (2014). Risk behaviours and adolescent depression in Jamaica. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 19(4), doi: /
¹⁰O'Hare, T., & Sherrer, M. V. (2000). Co-occurring stress and substance abuse in college first offenders. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 3(1), 29-47
¹¹Reicherts, M., & Perrez, M. (1990). The individual analysis of rule-orientation behavior by depressed persons. In H. Zapotoczky, T. Wenzel, H. (. Zapotoczky & T. (. Wenzel (Eds.), (pp ). Lisse, Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger Publishers.
R² = .16, F(2,660) = 63.15, p < .001
Findings
When you are more depressed, you are more likely to engage in RVB
When you experience more stressful life events, you are more likely to engage in RVB
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