Social Structure, Life Stress, and Depressive Symptoms in a High School-Age Population

Data from a randomly selected sample of 1,208 high school-aged adolescents were used to examine the means through which life stress is associated with depressive symptoms. Analyses focus on family structure, socioeconomic status, and gender as background risks which directly and indirectly influence symptoms, as well as vulnerability contexts that shape differential responsiveness to stressful experiences. Findings indicate (1) significant gender differences in aspects of stress exposure and in additive models of stress effects, but stresses and supports do not explain the significant gender difference in depressive symptoms; (2) girls in low education backgrounds have the highest levels of depressive symptoms; (3) there are no gender differences in vulnerability to stress; (4) children in single-parent families have higher symptom levels, effects explained by economic conditions and stress exposure--they are no more vulnerable than others to the depressing effects of these stresses; and (5) both boys and girls in low SES backgrounds are more vulnerable to a wide range of stresses and support deficits.