Elevated self-standards and emotional distress during adolescence: Emotional specificity and gender differences

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study examined the relation between self-standards and particular forms of emotional distress during adolescence. One hundred fifteen high school subjects completed the Selves Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Actual-ideal discrepancies and self-oriented perfectionism were found to be associated specifically with depressive symptoms after controlling for anxious symptoms, whereas actual-ought discrepancies were associated specifically with anxious symptoms after controlling for depressive symptoms. In contrast, socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with general emotional distress. Compared with boys, girls reported more depressive, but not anxious, symptoms. Importantly, actual-ideal discrepancies partially mediated gender differences in depressive symptoms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)663-679
Number of pages17
JournalCognitive Therapy and Research
Volume21
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adolescence
  • Emotional distress
  • Gender differences
  • Self-standards

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Elevated self-standards and emotional distress during adolescence: Emotional specificity and gender differences'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this