ss public sphere (Cambron, Acitelli, & Pettit, 2009).
Sex linked responses to depression might contribute to gender differences in emotional adjustments. According to Burton, Stice and Seeley, (2004), the tendency of girls to display emotions and seek help from friends might in part cushion them from emotional distress. Through seeking support, girls are offered a reassurance that their problems may be solved and that they are valued in the society, and this decreases the chances of the stressors leading to reduced self esteem, sadness, and excessive worrying. In reality, getting social support from friends is connected with reduced levels of depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, the support seeking tendency presents a threat that girls will be fixated on talking about their problems, which might increase their levels of emotional distress. Conversely, the greater likelihood of boys to make problems light helps them to dwell on the problems and this be protected against emotional problems (Plancherel, & Bolognini, 1995).
The literature reveals that gender differences in psychological adjustment. Compared to boys, girls are more likely to express their emotions, seek help and ruminate in response to stress. Boys usually victims experience difficulties in adjusting to the stressful situations and display delinquent behaviors such as fighting and aggression, substance abuse while girls display fear and anxiety. While girls are open on issues regarding depression, boys usually deny that they are depressed and this seek self worth from the public sphere with girls seeking esteem from peers.
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processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls
Rose, A. J., & Rudolph, K. D. (2006). A review of sex differences in peer relationshipPsychological Bulletin, 132, 98-131.
Burton E, Stice E, Seeley, R., (2004). A prospective test of the stress-buffering model of depression adolescent girls: No support once again. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72:689–697.
Garnefski, N., & Arends, E., (1998). Sexual abuse and adolescent maladjustment: differences between male and female victims. Journal of Adolescence, 21, 99-70.
Kobak, R., (1999). The emotional dynamics of disruptions in attachment relationships, Guildford, New York.
Chandy, M., Blum, W., & Resnick, D., (1996). Gender specific outcomes for sexually abused adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 1219-1231.
Booth, C., Clarke-Stewart, K. A., McCartney, K., Owen, M. T., & Vandell, D. L. (2000). Effects of parental separation and divorce on very young children. Journal of Family Psychology, 14, 304-326.vs
Amato, R., (2001). Children of divorce in the 1990s. An update of the Amato and Keith (1991) metanalysis. Journal of family psychology, 15, 355-370.
Cambron, M. J., Acitelli, L.K., & Pettit, J. W. (2009). Explaining gender differences in depression: An interpersonal contingent self-esteem perspective.
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Plancherel, B., & Bolognini M., (1995). Coping and mental health in early adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 18:459–474.
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