Stability and change of cognitive vulnerabilities from late childhood through adolescence

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Schweizer, Tina Hsu

Contributors dc:contributor

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

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

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Tina Schweizer

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

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

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F116022