Age and gender differences in expressive flexibility and the association with depressive symptoms in adolescents

Frontiers in Psychology

Psychology

Yuyang Zhao¹  Shaohua Zhang²  Junsheng Liu²  Biao Sang³ 

[1] Department of Social Work, School of Sociology and Political Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China;School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China;School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China;Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Shanghai Academy of Educational Sciences, Shanghai, China;

关键词: expressive flexibility;    age difference;    gender difference;    depressive symptoms;    adolescents;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185820

 received in 2023-03-15, accepted in 2023-04-06,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

ObjectiveThis study investigated age and gender differences in the ability to flexibly enhance and suppress facial expressions according to situational demands, known as expressive flexibility (EF), as well as its relationship with depressive symptoms in adolescents.MethodsThe participants included 766 Chinese high school students aged between 12 and 18 years (mean age = 14.96 years, standard deviation = 2.04; 52.2% female). Data on EF and depressive symptoms were collected using self-report questionnaires.ResultsGirls scored higher on enhancement abilities than boys, but with no significant gender difference in suppression abilities. There were also no significant age-related differences in enhancement and suppression abilities. Only enhancement ability was negatively associated with depressive symptoms.ConclusionThe development of EF abilities was stable among adolescents, with varying effects in terms of gender, and the importance of EF and enhancement abilities in reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents was highlighted.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Liu, Sang and Zhao.