| Summary: | The increasing incidence of adolescent depression calls for the study of individual difference factors that may impinge on psychosocial adjustment. Researchers have identified depressive personality styles, namely dependency and self-criticism, that represent distinct vulnerability orientations. A series of four studies was conducted to (1) examine the relation of the depressive styles to adolescent dysphoria and interpersonal functioning; (2) assess the Personality-Event Congruence Model of Depressive Vulnerability in youngsters; and (3) explore how dependency and self-criticism relate to the regulation of negative affect using an experience sampling methodology. Findings provide evidence for heightened vulnerability of adolescent self-criticism in terms of increased dysphoria and interpersonal problems, demonstrate the vulnerability of dependency during attachment-related transitions, and reveal the relation of depressive styles to distinctive patterns of poor mood management. Together, these studies highlight the need to help youngsters adopt strategies that may be effective in forestalling dysphoria, enabling healthy adaptation to developmental challenges.
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