DYSPHORIC INTERPERSONAL SCHEMATA AND PREADOLESCENTS SENSITIZATION TO NEGATIVE EVENTS

Addresses the hypothesis that interpersonal schemata sensitize dysphor ic youngsters to negative social information and contribute to the amp lification of depressive symptoms. Sensitization was conceptualized as involving multiple components, including heightened anticipation, sel ective focus, and rapid information processing. Four studies with sepa rate samples of preadolescents and early adolescents were conducted. R esults from 3 laboratory-based studies indicated that depressed and dy sphoric youngsters evince relatively negative interpersonal schemata, and that these schemata are related to the 3 components of sensitizati on. A short-term prospective study examined the hypothesis that dyspho ric interpersonal schemata moderate the emotional impact of a normativ e social stressor, the transition to high school. Results indicated th at youngsters who entered the transition with relatively negative sche ma experienced the transition as more stressful than youngsters with r elatively positive schema, and that negative interpersonal schema ampl ified the effects of stress on depressive symptoms.