SOCIAL-PROBLEM SOLVING - A MODERATOR OF THE RELATION BETWEEN NEGATIVELIFE STRESS AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN

The social problem-solving skill of generating effective alternative s olutions was tested as a moderator of the relation between negative li fe stress and depressed mood in children. Boys (n = 25) and girls (n = 25), ages 8 to 12 years, from inner-city, lower socioeconomic group f amilies, completed measures of depression symptoms, negative impact of life events, and quantity and effectiveness of alternative solutions to social problems. Results indicated that the effectiveness of altern ative solutions children generate in response to peer social problems moderates the relation between stress and depression. Children who exp erienced a high impact of negative life events, with less effective so cial problem-solving skills, reported higher levels of depression comp ared to children who experienced a high impact of negative life events but exhibited more effective social problem-solving skills. Results a re discussed in terms of alternative theoretical models for the mechan isms whereby effective social problem-solving skills moderate stress-r elated depression.