A mediated moderation model of negative life events, self-esteem, rumination and parental divorce on depression among Chinese juvenile delinquents

Abstract

Abstract Little attention was paid to the prevalence of depression in Chinese juvenile delinquents who are studied in correctional work-study schools. Hence, the present study aimed to test the unique, mediating and moderating effects of negative life events, self-esteem, rumination and parental divorce on depression among Chinese juvenile delinquents. A total of 236 juvenile delinquents aged between 12 and 17 years old (M = 14.68 SD = 1.30) were recruited to accomplish a battery of self-report questionnaires concerning their negative life events, self-esteem, rumination, depression and demographic profile. The descriptive analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between negative life events and depression in Chinese juvenile delinquents. Moreover, the results from the structural model indicated that self-esteem and rumination played separate and sequential mediating roles between negative life events and depression. In addition, parental divorce had a moderating effect between negative life events and self-esteem in the model. These results suggest that the prevalence of depression among Chinese juvenile delinquents can be reduced through modification of the ruminative way of thinking, improving their self-esteem when they encounter a number of negative life events. Furthermore, more attention should be paid to the juvenile delinquents who experienced parental divorce.