SEX-DIFFERENCES IN SELF-CONCEPT AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION DURING THETRANSITION TO COLLEGE

In an investigation of sex differences in adaptation to college, real and ideal self-concept and symptoms of depression were studied longitu dinally in a sample of 287 students. Survey data were collected at a s ummer orientation and one semester into freshman year No sex differenc es in self-concept were found before college, but males' real self-con cept became more positive over the transition. Females were more depre ssed than males at both times, although depressive symptom scores incr eased in both sexes. Real self-concept scores were negatively con elat ed with depressive symptoms in both sexes at both times, while the dis crepancy between real and ideal self-concepts was positively correlate d with depressive symptoms among females before college and in both se xes midway through freshman year A one-year follow-up revealed that fe males' real self-concept scores increased to match those of males by m id-sophomore year. These sex differences are discussed in relation to psychological development during adolescence.