ICPR Abstracts: Session 32

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Session 32: Papers

Close Relationships and Depression

32.1
Negative and Positive Social Ties and Depression:
A Preliminary, Descriptive Meta-analysis

Morris A. Okun and John F. Finch
Arizona State University

Conducted a preliminary, descriptive meta-analysis of the 
relations among (a) negative social exchanges and positive 
social exchanges; (b) negative social exchanges and 
depression symptoms; and (c) positive social exchanges 
and depression symptoms.  Effect sizes (e.g., correlations) 
were extracted from 27 studies of social negativity that 
had their roots in the social support literature. The means 
of the effect sizes were .25 (negative social ties and 
depression), -.18 (positive social ties and depression) and -
.10 (negative and positive social ties).  Considerable 
variability was evident within each distribution of effect 
sizes (highest SD = .23).

32.2
Depression and Reactions to Social Interaction in a 
Community Sample

Christianne P. Hampton, John B. Nezlek, 
and Glenn D. Shean, College of William and Mary

A community sample of participants, some of whom 
reported depressive symptoms consistent with a diagnosis 
of a major depressive disorder, maintained a variant of the 
Rochester Interaction Record for two weeks.  Depressed 
people reported less enjoyment, intimacy, and influence in 
interaction.  Interactions with romantic partners and family 
members were more intimate for all participants; however, 
a friend's presence was associated with greater intimacy 
only for the depressed.  Interactions with family members 
were more enjoyable for all participants, although a 
friend's presence was associated with more enjoyment for 
the depressed.  There were no relationship effects in the 
analysis of influence.

32.3
Are There Reciprocal Associations Between Stress
and Depressive Symptoms in Marriage?

Joanne Davila, Jennifer Christian-Herman,
Catherine L. Cohan, and Thomas N. Bradbury
University of California, Los Angeles

We examined Hammen's (1991) model of stress generation 
in depression as it occurs in newlywed marriages. We 
predicted that there would be a bidirectional association 
between depressive symptoms and marital stress. The 
hypothesis was tested in a sample of 172 newlywed 
couples. Assessments of depressive symptoms and 
interviewer ratings of chronic marital stress were made at 
an initial session and again one year later. Among wives, 
changes in depressive symptoms were predicted by chronic 
marital stress, and changes in chronic marital stress were 
predicted by depressive symptoms. For husbands, changes 
in depressive symptoms were predicted by chronic marital 
stress. Cross-spouse analyses revealed that higher levels of 
wives' depressive symptoms led to increased marital stress 
for husbands. The results support a conceptualization of 
marital functioning and depression that emphasizes their 
ongoing reciprocal association.

32.4
The Unhealthy Side of Psychological Femininity:
Explaining the Link Between Unmitigated 
Communion and Distress

Heidi L. Fritz and Vicki S. Helgeson
Carnegie Mellon University

This study distinguishes between two aspects of 
psychological femininity: communion, defined as a 
positive focus on others, and unmitigated communion, 
which is an unhealthy focus on others to the exclusion of 
the self.  Among ninety-five interviewed adults, 
unmitigated communion, but not communion, was 
associated with depression.  Unmitigated communion was 
related to the desire to influence others, difficulty 
disclosing to others, difficulty asserting oneself in 
relationships, and the need for others to take one's advice.  
The latter two variables mediated the association of 
unmitigated communion to depression.

32.5
Friendships, School Relationships
and Depressed Mood in Early Adolescence

Serdar M. Degirmencioglu
Northwestern University

Relationships between depressed mood and adolescent 
relationships were examined using longitudinal data.  Data 
were collected from students attending 23 different middle 
schools in the USA.  Losing friends is related to depressed 
mood which, in turn, leads to feelings of isolation in 7th 
grade.  Feelings of isolation is linked with having fewer 
friends and depressed mood in 8th grade. Students with 
caring teachers end up less depressed in 8th grade. Having 
close friends and having stable friendships are negatively 
and independently related to depressed mood in 8th grade. 
Results suggest reciprocal links between absence of 
friendships and feelings of isolation, and depressed mood 
for this age group.