LABILE SELF-ESTEEM, LIFE STRESS, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS - PROSPECTIVE DATA TESTING A MODEL OF VULNERABILITY

Recent theory and research suggests that labile self-esteem (SE) is ai r important dimension of vulnerability to depression (Butler Hokanson, & Flynn, 1994; Roberts & Monroe, 1992, 1994 in press). In the present study, participants completed seven daily ratings of SE from which ru e derived a measure of lability. The interaction between labile SE and life stress predicted increases in depressive symptoms across a two-m onth prospective interval, particularly in participants who were initi ally low bl depression and who had more severe worst lifetime episodes of depressive symptomatology. Interactions between life stress and la bile SE were stronger for life stress measures that were based on the subjective appraisal of stress than for those that were based on raw l ife event counts. rn contrast to predictions, depletions in self-estee m failed to mediate the synergistic effects of labile SE and life stre ss.