Zi Chen

Factor structure of the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale in first-year university students in Japan.

The Zung-Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) was distributed to 28,588 first-year university students. Factor analysis using PROMAX rotation revealed three factors interpretable as affective, cognitive, and somatic symptoms. The confirmatory factor analysis showed a goodness-of-fit index of 0.976 and an adjusted goodness-of-fit index of 0.967. The two sexes exhibited virtually the same factor structure. The result suggests that studies with this scale should use these three subscales rather than a total score.

Adolescents' attachment style and early experiences: a gender difference

SummaryWe examined gender differences in perceived rearing and adult attachment style in adolescents. A total of 3,912 senior college students (1,149 men and 2,763 women) ages 18-23 (men’s M = 20.1 years, women’s M = 20.0 years) were administered a set of questionnaires including Relationship Questionnaire (to measure adult attachment), the Parental Bonding Instrument (perceived rearing), and a list of early life events. In the men, positive adult total attachment style was predicted by the scores of paternal care and low scores on maternal overprotection in a hierarchical regression analysis. On the other hand, in the women, positive adult total attachment style was predicted by the scores of paternal and maternal care, and low score on maternal overprotection. Adult attachment was also predicted by fewer Peer Victimization experience as a child in both men and women. However, while men’s adult attachment was predicted by Self Disease experiences, women’s adult attachment was predicted by Top Star experiences and fewer Relocation experiences. The adult attachment style was predictable from early experiences but there existed some gender differences.

Cognitive patterns and depression: Study of a Japanese university student population

Abstract  According to Beck’s cognitive theory, individuals who endure negative self‐schemas (dysfunctional attitudes) are more likely to present automatic thoughts consisting of negative schemata of oneself and one’s world while experiencing depression. In order to examine the relationships between depression, automatic thought, and dysfunctional attitude, 329 Japanese university students were given a set of questionnaires, including the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D), Automatic Thought Questionnaire‐revised (ATQ‐R), and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS). A structural equation model revealed that depression was predicted predominantly by automatic thought, which was in turn predicted by dysfunctional attitude. The male gender had a tendency to predict dysfunctional attitude. The link between a student’s depression and dysfunctional attitude was mediated by automatic thought.

Correlates of the categories of adolescent attachment styles: Perceived rearing, family function, early life events, and personality

Aims:  To identify the psychosocial correlates of adolescents.

Determinants of Parenting Styles of Japanese Fathers and Mothers with Children Aged 0 to 10: Perceived Parenting During Childhood or Dysphoric Mood?

Purpose: To study the determinants of current parenting styles in Japan. Methods: Fathers (n = 312) and mothers (n = 333) of children aged between 0 and 10 attending a paediatric clinic were evaluated with regards to the following: parental attitudes rated by spouses using the Parental Bonding Instrument, current dysphoric mood assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, life time history of Major Depressive Episode (MDE), and perceived parenting styles when the parents themselves were children. Results: Path models showed that current parenting styles were predicted by parents perception of maternal rearing during childhood. Moreover, in mothers only, they were predicted by the manner in which the women were raised by their fathers. This prediction was indirect, occurring via lifetime history of MDE and current dysphoric mood. Conclusion: This study suggests that the way in which parents themselves were raised was no less important than how they currently felt in determining how they were raising their child. Current dysphoric mood or lifetime history of MDE mediated such effects only among mothers.

The Effects of Temperament and Character on Symptoms of Depression in a Chinese Nonclinical Population

Objective. To examine the relations between personality traits and syndromes of depression in a nonclinical Chinese population. Method. We recruited 469 nonclinical participants in China. They completed the Chinese version temperament and character inventory (TCI) and self-rating depression scale (SDS). A structural equation model was used to rate the relation between seven TCI scales and the three SDS subscale scores (based on Shafers meta-analysis of the SDS items factor analyses). This was based on the assumption that the three depression subscales would be predicted by the temperament and character subscales, whereas the character subscales would be predicted by the temperament subscales. Results. The positive symptoms scores were predicted by low self-directedness (SD), cooperativeness (C), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P) as well as older age. The negative symptoms scores were predicted only by an older age. The somatic symptoms scores were predicted by high SD. Conclusion. Syndromes of depression are differentially associated with temperament and character patterns. It was mainly the positive symptoms scores that were predicted by the TCI scores. The effects of harm avoidance (HA) on the positive symptoms scores could be mediated by low SD and C.