The present study investigated how potentially modifiable factors – coping strategies – are associated with depression and anxiety symptoms among adolescents. Participants (N = 102, 53 males, from 13 to 15 years old, Mage = 13.86) reported using various coping strategies (The Bern Coping Forms; Heim, Valach, 1996), anxiety and depression symptoms (CDI; Kovacs, 2001). Coping strategies explained a significant proportion of variance in general anxiety (R2 = .18, F(5, 96) = 5.44, p < .001). Seeking for social support and self-blame were both positively associated with anxiety (beta= .28, t = 2.87, p = .005; beta= .284, t = 2.53, p = .013). Coping strategies also explained a significant proportion of variance in general depression (R2 = .20, F(5, 96) = 5.99, p < .001). Self-blame was positively associated with depression (beta= .415, t = 3.73, p < .001). The study confirms that putting the blame of negative experiences on oneself is positively associated with experiencing and reporting anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents, which is in line with previous findings (Garnefski et al., 2002). The study also found that seeking for social support is associated with higher reported anxiety symptoms, despite a large body of empirical data that indicated a positive role of social support in youth mental health. This result highlights an importance to investigate the factors associated with inconsistencies in seeking for social support- anxiety link (Velez et al., 2016). Overall, the study indicated that self-blame and seeking for social support are positively associated with self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents.

01 - SEEKING FOR SOCIAL SUPPORT, SELF-BLAME AND SELF-REPORTED PSYCHOPATHOLOGY SYMPTOMS AMONG ADOLESCENTS