POOR INTERPERSONAL PROBLEM-SOLVING AS A MECHANISM OF STRESS GENERATION IN DEPRESSION AMONG ADOLESCENT WOMEN

The authors examined C. Hammen's (1991) model of stress generation in depression and the role of interpersonal problem-solving strategies (I FS) in the stress generation process in a longitudinal sample of 140 y oung women who entered the study at ages 17-18. Structural equation mo deling was used to test a model in which IPS and subsequent interperso nal stress mediated the relationship between initial and later depress ive symptoms. Results supported the main prediction of the stress gene ration model: Interpersonal stress mediated the relationship between i nitial and later depressive symptoms. In addition, IPS predicted inter personal stress. However no association was found between depressive s ymptoms and IPS. An alternative model in which IPS moderated the relat ionship between stress and depressive symptoms was tested; it was not supported.