Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T00:14:35.917Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Social Problem Solving and Aggression: The Role of Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Yalçın Özdemir ,
Yaşar Kuzucu  and
Nermin Koruklu
Yalçın Özdemir*
Affiliation:
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey
Yaşar Kuzucu
Affiliation:
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey
Nermin Koruklu
Affiliation:
Department of Guidance and Counselling, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey
*
address for correspondence: Yalçın Özdemir, Department of Guidance and Counselling, Adnan Menderes University, Turkey. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine direct and indirect relations among social problem-solving, depression, and aggression, as well as the mediating role of depression in the link between social problem-solving and aggression among Turkish youth. Data for the present study were collected from 413 adolescents. The participants’ age ranged from 14 to 17 with a mean of 15.74 years (SD = .97). Results indicated that social problem-solving was significantly and negatively associated with both depression and aggression. Also, depression significantly and positively associated with aggression and depression appears to act as a mediator in the relationship between social problem-solving and aggression. Findings suggest that social problem-solving and depression are important factors in understanding aggression among Turkish youth.

Keywords

Social Problem SolvingAggressionDepressionMediationAdolescence
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , June 2013 , pp. 72 - 81
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Becker-Weidman, E.G., Jacobs, R.H., Reinecke, M.A., Silva, S.G., & March, J.S. (2010). Social problem-solving among adolescents treated for depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48, 11–18. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2009.08.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berkowitz, L. (1993). Aggression: Its causes, consequences, and control. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Bryant, F.B. & Smith, B.D. (2001). Refining the architecture of aggression: A measurement model for the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 138–167. doi:10.1006/jrpe.2000.2302CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burns, B.J., Costello, E.J., Angold, A., Erkanli, A., Stangl, D., & Tweed, D. (1995). Children's mental health service use across service sectors. Health Affairs, 14, 147–159. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.14.3.147CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buss, A.H. & Perry, M.P. (1992). The aggression questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 452–459.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cauffman, E., Feldman, S., Waterman, J., & Steiner, H. (1998). Posttraumatic stress disorder among female juvenile offenders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37 (11), 1209–1216. doi:10.1097/00004583-199811000-00022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crick, N.R., & Dodge, K.A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information processing mechanisms in children's social adjustment. Psychological Bulletin, 115, 74–101. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.115.1.74CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curry, J., & Cralghead, W. (1990). Attributional style in clinically depressed and conduct-disordered adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 109–116. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.58.1.109CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Derogatis, L.R. (1992). BSI: Administration, scoring, and procedures manual—II. Towson, MD: Clinical Psychometric Research.Google Scholar
Dodge, K.A. (1980). Social cognition and children's aggressive behaviour. Child Development, 51, 162–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, K.A. (1993). Social–cognitive mechanisms in the development of conduct disorder and depression. Annual Review of Psychology, 44, 559–584. doi:10,1146/annurev. ps.44.020193.003015CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dodge, K.A., & Crick, N.R. (1990). Social information-processing bases of aggressive behaviour in children. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 16 (1), 8–22. doi:10.1177/0146167290161002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, K.A., Bates, J.E., & Pettit, G.S. (1990). Mechanisms in the cycle of violence. Science, 25, 1678–1683.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, K.A., Lochman, J.E., Harnish, J.D., Bates, J.E., & Pettit, S. (1997). Reactive and proactive aggression in school children and psychiatrically impaired chronically assaultive youth. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 37–51. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.106.1.37CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
D'Zurilla, T.J., Chang, E.C., Nottingham, E.J., IV, & Faccini, L. (1998). Social problem solving deficits and hopelessness, depression, and suicidal risks in college students and psychiatric inpatients. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54, 1091–1107. doi:10,1002/(SICI)1097-4679(199812)54:8<1091:AID-JCLP9>3.0.CO;2-J3.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
D'Zurilla, T.J., Chang, E.C., & Sanna, L.J. (2003). Self-esteem and social problem-solving as predictors of aggression in college students. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 22, 424–440. doi:10.1521/jscp.22.4.424.22897CrossRefGoogle Scholar
D'Zurilla, T.J., & Nezu, A.M. (1999). Problem-solving therapy: A social competence approach to clinical intervention (2nd ed.). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
D'Zurilla, T.J., Nezu, A.M., & Maydeu-Olivares, A. (1996). Manual for the social problem-solving inventory-revised. Unpublished manuscript, State University of New York at Stony Brook.Google Scholar
D'Zurilla, T.J., Nezu, A.M., & Maydeu-Olivares, A. (2002). Manual for the Social Problem Solving Inventory–Revised (SPSI-R). North Tonawanda, NY: Multi-Health Systems.Google Scholar
Eskin, M., & Aycan, Z. (2009). The adaptation of the revised social problem solving inventory into Turkish: A reliability and validity analysis. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 12 (23), 11–13.Google Scholar
Evans, S.W. & Short, E.J. (1991). A qualitative and serial analysis of social problem solving in aggressive boys. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 19, 331–340.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferguson, C.J., San Miguel, C., & Hartley, R.D. (2009). A multivariate analysis of youth violence and aggression: The influence of family, peers, depression and media violence. Journal of Pediatrics, 155, 904–908.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flannery, D.J., Singer, M.I., & Wester, K. (2003). Violence, coping, and mental health in a community sample of adolescents. Violence and Victims, 18, 403–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fremouw, W., Callahan, T., & Kashden, J. (1993). Adolescent suicidal risk: psychological problem solving, and environmental factors. Suicide and Life Threatening Behaviour, 2 (1), 46–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goddard, L., Dritschel, B., & Burton, A. (1996). Role of autobiographical memory in social problem solving and depression. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 609–616. doi: 10.1037/0021-843X.105.4.609CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guerra, N.G., & Slaby, R.G. (1990). Cognitive mediators of aggression in adolescent offenders: II. Intervention. Developmental Psychology, 26, 269–277. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.26.2.269CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hayes, A.F. (2009). Beyond Baron and Kenny: Statistical mediation analysis in the new millennium. Communication Monographs, 76, 408–420.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heppner, P.P., Baumgardner, A.H., & Jackson, S.A. (1985). Problem-solving, self-appraisal, depression, and attributional style: Are they related? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 9, 105–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hoagwood, K. (2000). Research on youth violence: Progress by replacement, not addition. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8, 67–70. doi:10.1177/106342660000800202CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hops, H., Lewinsohn, R., Andrews, J., & Roberts, R. (1990). Psychosocial correlates of depressive symptomatology among high school students. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 211–220. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp1903_3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kashani, J., Dandoy, A., & Reid, J. (1992). Hopelessness in children and adolescents: An overview. Acta Paedopsychiatrica, 55, 33–39.Google ScholarPubMed
Keltikangas-Järvinen, L., & Pakaslahti, L. (1999). Development of social problem-solving strategies and changes in aggressive behaviour: A 7-year follow-up from childhood to late adolescence. Aggressive Behaviour, 25, 269–279. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1098-2337(1999)25:4<269::AID-AB3>3.0.CO;2-K3.0.CO;2-K>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lochman, J.E., & Dodge, K.A. (1994). Social-cognitive processes of severely violent, moderately aggressive, and nonaggressive boys. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 366–374. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.62.2.366CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lochman, J.E., & Dodge, K. A. (1998). Distorted perceptions in dyadic interactions of aggressive and nonaggressive boys: Effects of prior expectations, context, and boys’ age. Development & Psychopathology, 10, 495–512. doi:10.1017/S0954579498001710CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lochman, J., Wayland, K.K., & White, K.J. (1993). Social goals: Relationship to adolescent adjustment and to social problem solving. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 21, 135–151. doi:10.1007/BF00911312CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mammen, O.K., Kolko, D.J., & Pilkonis, P.A. (2002). Negative affect and parental aggression in child physical abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 407–424. doi:10.1016/S0145-2134(02)00316-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nezu, A.M. (1985). Differences in psychological distress between effective and ineffective problem solvers. Journal of Counselling Psychology, 32, 135–138. doi: 10.1037/0022-0167.32.1.135CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nezu, A.M. (1987). A problem-solving formulation of depression: A literature review and proposal of a pluralistic model. Clinical Psychology Review, 7, 121–144. doi: 10.1016/0272-7358(87)90030-4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nezu, A.M., & Ronan, G.F. (1985). Life stress, current problems, problem solving, and depressive symptoms: An integrative model. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 53, 693–697. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.53.5.693CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nezu, A.M., & Ronan, G.F. (1988). Social problem solving as a moderator of stress-related depressive symptoms: A prospective analysis. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 35, 134–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Page, B.J., Pietrzak, D.R., & Sutton, J.M. (2001). National survey of school counsellor supervision. Counselor Education and Supervision, 41, 142–150. doi:10.1002/j.1556-6978.2001.tb01278CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preacher, K.J., & Hayes, A.F. (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 36, 717–731. Doi:10.3758/BF03206553CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Preacher, K.J., & Hayes, A.F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 879–891. doi:10.3758/BRM.40.3.879CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quiggle, N.L., Garber, J., Panak, W.F., & Dodge, K.A. (1992). Social information processing in aggressive and depressed children. Child Development, 63, 1305–1320. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1992.tb01696.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reinecke, M.A. (1995). Comorbidity of conduct disorder and depression among adolescents: Implications for assessment and treatment. Cognitive and Behavioural Practice, 2, 299–326. doi:10.1016/S1077-7229(95)80015-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Şahin, N., & Durak, A. (1994). Brief symptom inventory: Adaptation for the Turkish youth. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 9 (31), 44–56.Google Scholar
Seçer, Z., & Ogelman, H.G. (2011). Analysis of the effect of a social problem solving program on the aggression of children. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 21 (2), 142–153. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1375/ajgc.21.2.142CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shirk, S.R., Kaplinski, H., & Gudmundsen, G. (2009). School-based cognitive-behavioural therapy for adolescent depression: A benchmarking study. Journal of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders, 17 (2), 106–117. doi:10.1177/1063426608326202CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siu, A., & Shek, D. (2010). Social Problem Solving as a Predictor of Well-being in Adolescents and Young Adults. Social Indicators Research, 95, 393–406. doi:10.1007/s11205-009-9527-5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Specken, A., & Hawton, K. (2005). Social problem solving in adolescents with suicidal behavior: A systematic review. Suicide and Life Threatening Behaviour, 35 (4), 365–387. doi: 10.1521/suli.2005.35.4.365CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steiner, H., Garcia, I.G., & Matthews, Z. (1997). Posttraumatic stress disorder in incarcerated juvenile delinquents. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 36, 357–365. doi:10.1097/00004583-199811000-00022CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Teisl, M., & Cicchetti, D. (2007). Physical abuse, cognitive and emotional processes, and aggressive/disruptive behaviour problems. Social Development, 17 (1), 1–24. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00412.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tolan, R., & Loeber, R. (1993). Antisocial behaviour. In Tolan, R. & Cohler, B. (Eds.), Handbook of clinical research and practice with Moles’ cents (pp. 307–331). New York: Wiley Interscience.Google Scholar
Watkins, E., & Baracaia, S. (2002). Rumination and social problem-solving in depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40, 1179–1189. doi:10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00098-5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolfersdorf, M., & Kiefer, A. (1998). Depression and aggression. A control group study on the aggression hypothesis in depressive disorders based on the Buss Durkee Questionnaire. Psychiatrische Praxis, 25, 240–245.Google Scholar