Peer Stressors and Gender Differences in Adolescents' Mental Health: The TRAILS Study

Bakker, Martin P.; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.10.002

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 46, Issue 5 , Pages 444-450, May 2010

Peer Stressors and Gender Differences in Adolescents' Mental Health: The TRAILS Study

Martin P. Bakker, M.Sc.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Health Sciences (SHARE), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Address correspondence to: Martin P. Bakker, M.Sc., Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, CC72, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
Johan Ormel, Ph.D.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Health Sciences (SHARE), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Frank C. Verhulst, Ph.D.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center – Sophia Children's Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Albertine J. Oldehinkel, Ph.D.
- Interdisciplinary Center for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Health Sciences (SHARE), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center – Sophia Children's Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Received 17 April 2009; accepted 8 October 2009. published online 10 December 2009.

Purpose

This study tested two hypotheses about gender-specific mental health effects of peer stressors during early adolescence: (1) boys and girls are sensitive to different types of peer stressors, and (2) peer stress is associated with different mental health problems in boys and girls.

Methods

These two hypotheses were tested in a prospective large population cohort of 2,084 Dutch young adolescents. Internalizing and externalizing problems were measured at baseline and follow-up, whereas stressful life events in the period between baseline and follow-up were measured retrospectively at follow-up. We performed the analyses with two types of peer stressors; victimization at school and relationship losses.

Results

Relationship losses were more strongly associated with internalizing and externalizing problems in girls than boys, supporting the first hypothesis. Peer victimization at school was also associated with both types of mental health problems, but equally strong in boys and girls.

Conclusions

Peer stress is unlikely to be associated with different mental health problems in boys and girls. Instead, boys and girls are more likely to be susceptible to different types of peer stressors.

Keywords: Peer stressors, Mental health, Adolescents, Gender