Self-perceived competence and the relation between life events and depressive symptoms in adolescence: Mediator or moderator?

In a 2-wave longitudinal study, 9th-grade students (N = 468) completed self -report measures of stressful life events. depressive symptoms, and 5 domai ns of self-perceived competence (i.e.. academic competence, social acceptan ce. physical appearance, behavioral conduct, and athletic competence). Teac hers and peers also reported about the participants' depressive symptoms. I n longitudinal analyses, negative (but not positive) events related to depr essive symptoms. Results suggested that self-perceived competence served as a mediator (but nor a moderator) of this relation. Negative events predict ed changes in self-perceived competence. Self-perceived competence predicte d changes in depressive symptoms. Also, the direct effect of negative event s on depressive symptoms diminished after controlling for self-perceived co mpetence.