Examining the Pathway through which Intrinsic and Extrinsic Aspirations Generate Stress and Subsequent Depressive Symptoms

The aim of the current study is to examine how greater extrinsic versus intrinsic aspirations relate to stress generation processes using a 6-month multi-wave, longitudinal design in a sample of North american adolescents (n = 255). Additionally, we sought to examine the cross-cultural applicability of our model in a sample of adolescents from mainland China (n = 405). At the initial assessment, adolescents completed self-report measuresassessing intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations, dependent interpersonal and noninterpersonal stress, and depressive and anxious symptoms. Follow-up assessments occurred every month for six months, and participants provided information regarding stress as well as depressive and anxious symptoms. Results of idiographic, time-lagged hierarchical linear modeling indicated that for both samples, greater relative endorsement of extrinsic as compared to intrinsic goals predicted higher levels of dependent interpersonal stress. Such stress also predicted higher levels of depressive but not anxious symptoms. Further, dependent interpersonal stress mediated the relationship between extrinsic goals (relative to intrinsic aspirations) and depressive symptoms. Additionally, while noninterpersonal stress mediated the relationship between extrinsic goals (relative to intrinsic aspirations) anddepressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents, the model was not significant in the North american sample. Overall, the results suggest that, across cultures, greater endorsement ofextrinsic versus intrinsic aspirations is a vulnerability factor that generates stress inindividuals, which in turn increases one's susceptibility to depressive symptoms.