Abstract
Mediational Effects of Life Events on the Relationship Between Personality and Behavioral Problems among Depressed and Non-Depressed Adolescents
Author(s): Sheng-Shiung Huang, Tony Szu-Hsien Lee, Hao-Jan YangObjective:
To clarify the moderating and mediating effects of different types of life events on the relationships between personality traits and adolescent’s behavioral problems among 354 high school students in Taiwan.
Methods:
A school-based two-wave panel study was administered to 354 high school students. Sobel test was used to examine the complicated roles of life events in the relationships between personality and behavioral problems during adolescence.
Results:
The results showed that detrimental effects of high neuroticism traits on internalizing problems can be buffered by positive independent life events and moderated by positive dependent events. Additionally, behavioral problems occurred only through negative dependent life events generated by high levels of neuroticism among depressed adolescents.
Conclusion:
Adolescents with high neuroticism traits appear to be less able to conquer the stresses derived from the positive life events and therefore develop subsequent internalizing problems.