初中生学习成绩对外化问题、抑郁症状的影响:意志控制的作用

Influence of Academic Achievement on Externalizing Problems and Depressive Symptoms in Middle School Students: The Role of Effortful Control

目的:考察学习成绩对外化问题和抑郁症状的纵向预测效应,以及意志控制在其中可能的调节作用。方法:采用追踪设计,以1286名初一学生为被试,在初一(T1)和初三(T2)时进行追踪测量。分别以儿童行为核查表、儿童抑郁调查表和青少年早期气质问卷修订版测量外化问题、抑郁症状和意志控制,以期末考试成绩作为学习成绩的指标。结果:控制T1外化问题或抑郁症状后,(1)T1学习成绩负向预测T2外化问题,且学习成绩×意志控制×性别显著预测外化问题,低意志控制男生在低学习成绩时产生最多的外化问题;(2)T1学习成绩不预测T2抑郁症状,意志控制负向预测抑郁症状,与学习成绩的交互项不显著。结论:学习不良预测外化问题,且意志控制缓冲这种影响;学习成绩不预测青少年抑郁症状,意志控制负向预测抑郁症状。

Objective： The present study aimed to investigate the longitudinal effects of academic achievement on externalizing problems and depressive symptoms, and the potential moderating role of effortful control. Methods： Participants were 1,286 seventh-graders（657 males; mean age=13.20＋0.35 years）, who were measured at Grade 7（T1） and Grade 9（T2）. Externalizing problems, depressive problems, and effortful control were measured by using the Children＇ s Behavior Checklist Teacher＇ s Report Form, the Children Depression Inventory, and the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire, respectively. Academic achievement was indicated by averaged within-class standardized scores across Chinese, math, and English. Results： When prior externalizing problems or depressive symptoms were controlled for, （1）academic achievement at T1 significantly predicted externalizing problems at T2. The interaction term academic achievement x effortful control x gender predicted externalizing problems at T2. Specifically, males with low effortful control showed the highest level of ex- ternalizing problems when academic achievement was low; （2）academic achievement at T1 failed to predict depressive symptoms at T2, and effortful control exerted negative influence on depressive symptoms, which was stronger in males than in females. Conclusion： Low academic achievement exacerbates adolescent externalizing problems, and this effect is mitigated by effortful control; depressive symptoms are negatively predicted by effortful control, but not academic achievement.