The Relationship between Over-Adaptation and Depression in College Students

Abstract

This study investigated a proposed structural model of the relationship between over-adaptation and depression in college students. This model assumed that: (1) self- and other-perception (self-insufficiency and cynicism) predict external over-adaptive behavior (self-inhibition and other-oriented behavior); and (2) over-adaptation predicts depression. A total of 260 Japanese college students (110 men and 150 women undergraduates) completed a questionnaire. The structural model was analysed through the structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that: (1) self-insufficiency predicted over-adaptive behavior positively (both men and women); (2) cynicism positively predicted self-insufficiency (both men and women) and self-inhibition (women only); and (3) depression was positively predicted directly by self-insufficiency (both male and female) and self-inhibition (male only). These results suggest that self-sufficiency and self-inhibition, i.e. psychological adaptation-relating variables, mainly affect depression. Finally, gender differences were discussed.