Adolescents’ self-concept development and its link to depression are well known. However, the neural mechanisms underlying these processes have only recently been researched. The review focuses on brain activation related to self-perception in healthy and depressed adolescents (12-18 years old). A neurobehavioral model, combining developmental theory and affective neuroscience research, is proposed to address how social factors can influence self-referential neural processes.
The authors suggest future research directions after discussing the operationalization of self-concept, symbolic interactionism in self-concept development and the impact of self-concept on adolescent depression.
