Depressive Symptoms and Achievement Goals: Parental Rejection as a Moderator. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Măirean, Cornelia; Diaconu-Gherasim, Loredana R.
• Other Names: Van Zalk Nejra guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of early adolescence. Volume 40:Number 9(2020)
• Page Start: 1369
• Page End: 1396
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: depressive symptoms -- maternal rejection -- paternal rejection -- achievement goals -- longitudinal design; Adolescence -- United States -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Adolescence -- États-Unis -- Périodiques; 305.235
• DOI: 10.1177/0272431619858417
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-4316

Abstract

This present study investigated the longitudinal relations between depressive symptoms and achievement goals and whether maternal and paternal rejection moderated these relations. A sample of 436 early adolescents (X ¯ age = 13.19, 58.33% girls) filled in scales measuring the depressive symptoms (Time 1), parental rejection (Time 2; 1 year later), and achievement goals (Time 2). Early adolescents' depressive symptoms were positively related to performance-avoidance goals and negatively related to mastery and performance-approach goals. Furthermore, the father's rejection was positively related to the adolescents' performance-avoidance and negatively related to mastery goals, whereas maternal rejection was not related to achievement goals. Finally, maternal rejection moderated the association between depressive symptoms and performance-avoidance goals 1 year later. The implications of these results for future studies and educational practices are discussed.