The prevalence, recurrence, and incidence of depression in
adolescence and young adulthood are substantial for both males and
females. In this study, we examined social setting variables that
influence depression in males and females from adolescence to young
adulthood. Rather than focusing on single ecological factors, we
examined multiple settings including families, peers, and neighborhoods
using longitudinal data from 372 families living in a large eastern
urban area. We found that variables related to depression differed for
males and females depending on the developmental period being examined.
Family and peer variables in adolescence were significantly related to
change in depression during the transition to adulthood for males,
whereas family and neighborhood variables were marginally significant
for females. Family and neighborhood variables in adulthood were
significantly related to change in depression for females, and peer
variables were significant for both males and females. Overall,
contextual variables in adolescence had a more significant impact on
change in depression for males, whereas contemporary variables in young
adulthood had a more significant impact on change in depression for
females.The authors acknowledge the
assistance of Frank Furstenberg for the collection of this data with
funds from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's
Network on Successful Adolescence in High Risk Environments. The
authors also acknowledge partial support for the writing of this
article from a National Institute of Mental Health Behavioral Science
Research Center Grant awarded to the second author.