An Examination of the Tripartite Model of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in African American Youth: Stressors and Coping Strategies as Common and Specific Correlates

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the tripartite model of depression and anxiety in a community-based sample of 278 African American adolescents (M age = 12.89) from low-income communities and to identify stressors and coping strategies that were associated with the specific features of each disorder. Participants reported on depression, anxiety, stressors, and coping strategies. As predicted, the three-factor structure of the tripartite model was a valid representation of anxiety and depression in African American youth. Further, stressors and coping strategies showed specific associations to features of depression and anxiety. The findings provide evidence of factors that may help to distinguish between internalizing symptoms in African American youth.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Grant on Empirical Advancement of Ethnic Minority Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology from Division 53 of the American Psychological Association.

Notes

Note: Chorpita, B. F., Plummer, C. P., & Moffitt, C. (2000). Relations of tripartite dimensions of emotion to childhood anxiety and mood disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 28, 299–310. RCMAS = Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale; CDI = Children's Depression Inventory; PH = Psychological Hyperarousal; AN = Anhedonia; NA = Negative Affect; [C] = Chorpita scale definition only; [J] = Joiner scale definition only; [C, J] = both Chorpita and Joiner scale definitions.

Note: Model 1: baseline model; Model 2: factor loading constrained; Model 3: factor loadings, variance parameters, and covariance parameters constrained. Δχ² for Model 2 is a comparison with Model 1 and Δχ² for Model 3 is a comparison with Model 2. Because the number of participants included in the final analyses was less than or equal to 250, the Satorra-Bentler scaled chi-square value was used (Hu & Bentler, 1999). CFI = comparative fit index; RMSEA = root mean square error of approximation; CFA = confirmatory factor analysis.

^a n = 120.

^b n = 154.

*p < .05.

^a Controls for Physiological Hyperarousal.

^b Controls for Anhedoni.

^c n = 154.

^d n = 120.

†p < .09. *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.