As early as elementary school, girls are more likely than boys to possess self-evaluative mechanisms that may heighten vulnerability to depressive and anxiety symptoms. Consequently, sex differences in these mechanisms during elementary school may play a key role in sex differences in depressive and anxiety symptoms. There is little empirical evidence, however, as to development of these mechanisms. The major goal of the proposed research is to examine the distal and proximal social-psychological processes involved in the development of sex differences in self-evaluative mechanisms. Of central concern is the role of parental gender socialization. Based on several lines of research, it is hypothesized that culturally-held gender stereotypes may cause parents to be more controlling in certain behavioral domains with girls than with boys. This pattern of gender socialization is expected to lead girls to be more likely than boys to possess self-evaluative mechanisms that heighten vulnerability to depressive and anxiety symptoms. These hypotheses, as well as hypotheses about the role of social-cognitive developmental factors in the development of sex differences in self-evaluative mechanisms and consequent depressive and anxiety symptoms, will be addressed in two study sets using a combination of correlational and experimental methods as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. The results of the proposed research will elucidate the development of not only sex differences in self-evaluative mechanisms and consequent depressive and anxiety symptoms but also these phenomena in general. Hence, the research will provide knowledge which may be used to create intervention programs that prevent depressive and anxiety symptoms in children of both sexes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH057505-03
Application #
6392278
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Program Officer
Morf, Carolyn
Project Start
1999-06-01
Project End
2003-05-31
Budget Start
2001-06-01
Budget End
2002-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$77,368
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
041544081
City
Champaign
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
61820
Zhang, Xin; Pomerantz, Eva M; Setoh, Peipei et al. (2016) The role of affect in the positive self: Two longitudinal investigations of young adolescents in the United States and China. J Pers Soc Psychol 111:83-97
Qu, Yang; Pomerantz, Eva M; Deng, Ciping (2016) Mothers' Goals for Adolescents in the United States and China: Content and Transmission. J Res Adolesc 26:126-141
Cheung, Cecilia Sin-Sze; Pomerantz, Eva M (2015) Value Development Underlies the Benefits of Parents' Involvement in Children's Learning: A Longitudinal Investigation in the United States and China. J Educ Psychol 107:309-320
Setoh, Peipei; Qin, Lili; Zhang, Xin et al. (2015) The social self in early adolescence: Two longitudinal investigations in the United States and China. Dev Psychol 51:949-61
Qu, Yang; Pomerantz, Eva M (2015) Divergent School Trajectories in Early Adolescence in the United States and China: An Examination of Underlying Mechanisms. J Youth Adolesc 44:2095-109
Pomerantz, Eva M; Qin, Lili (2014) Reciprocal Pathways Between Autonomous Motivation and Affect: A Longitudinal Investigation of American and Chinese Early Adolescents. J Res Adolesc 24:646-653
Ng, Florrie Fei-Yin; Pomerantz, Eva M; Deng, Ciping (2014) Why are Chinese mothers more controlling than American mothers? ""My child is my report card"". Child Dev 85:355-69
Qin, Lili; Pomerantz, Eva M (2013) Reciprocal pathways between American and Chinese early adolescents' sense of responsibility and disclosure to parents. Child Dev 84:1887-95
Cheung, Cecilia S-S; Pomerantz, Eva M; Dong, Wei (2013) Does adolescents' disclosure to their parents matter for their academic adjustment? Child Dev 84:693-710
Cheung, Cecilia Sin-Sze; Pomerantz, Eva M (2011) Parents' involvement in children's learning in the United States and China: implications for children's academic and emotional adjustment. Child Dev 82:932-50

Showing the most recent 10 out of 29 publications