Abstract

The present study focused on the temporal change of depressive symptoms and examined the psychosocial factors associated with it. A total of 150 married women participated in the first survey which assessed the level of depressive symptoms, social adjustment, life stressors, self-efficacy, coping style and perceived social support and they reported the level of depressive symptoms at the 3 months follow-up. Based on the CES-D scores on the first and follow-up survey, they were divided into Movers and Stayers. The stayers ( over 24 on the first and follow-up CES-D or under 24 on the first and follow-up ) were 68.7% and the movers ( over 24 on the first and under 24 on the follow-up, or vice versa ) were 31.3%. The movers who were not depressed ar the first and reported depressive symptoms at the follow-up, were more avoidant in their coping style than the nondepressed stayers. And the Depressed Stayers showed higher level of depressive symptoms than the Movers, but were not significantly different from the Movers in the psychosocial functioning. The results sevealed psychosocial factors associated with development and persistence of depressive symptoms and suggested clinical implication for the Movers.