1. When Friendships Bring You Down: Peer Relationship Predictors of Adolescent Depression Joseph P. Allen University of Virginia Gabriel P. Kuperminc Georgia State University Cynthia Moore Harvard Medical School Copies of Related Papers are available at: Teenresearch.org Collaborators: Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D. Christy McFarland Penny Marsh Kathleen McElhaney, Ph.D. Nell Manning Jennifer Haynes Heather Tencer, Ph.D. Sally Kaufman Farah Williams Debbie Land, Ph.D. Jill Antonishak Katie Little Martin Ho Jess Meyer Mindy Schmidt, Ph.D. Glenda Insabella, Ph.D. Liz Ball Wrenn Thompson

2. In what ways are social relationships important in understanding the development of early adolescent depression?

3. Background Increasing Incidence of Depressive Symptoms During Adolescence Therapies Emphasize Dysfunctional Social Relationships Lack of Knowledge About HOW and WHY Relationships go Awry

4. The University of Virginia “KLIFF” Project Kids’ Lives, Families, & Friends 168 Adolescents, their Parents, Best Friends, and Other Friends Equal numbers of Males and Females Assessed Annually, Beginning at Age 13 Highly Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= $40- $60K) 31% African American; 69% European American Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties (Parents, teens, best friends, other friends) (Total N over first 3 years ~ 900).

5. Measures: Depressive Symptoms Teen reported via Children’s Depression Inventory (Kovacs & Beck, 1977). Child/Adolescent version of Beck Depression Inventory 27-items. Examples: I am sad all the time. I hate myself. Continuum/severity approach Symptoms below diagnostic thresholds are nevertheless important predictors of dysfunction.

6. Simple Correlation Adolescent Depressive Symptoms At Age 13 and Age 14:.58***

7. Changing Over Time in Depressive Symptoms

8. Change Over Time in Depressive Symptoms

9. Change Over Time in Depressive Symptoms: “Spaghetti Plot” of Individual Participants Change

10. Developmental Psychopathology Perspective Areas of greatest vulnerability in interpersonal relationships occur when progress in critical developmental tasks is threatened.

11. Handling the “Give & Take” of Peer Relationships A fundamental developmental task linked to establishment of Autonomy & Relatedness in Social Relationships 3 Kinds of Potential Failures to Engage Becoming Hostile when Disagreeing Withdrawing from Peers Becoming Overly Dependent upon one’s Peers

12. Failures to Engage: Becoming Hostile When Disagreeing Coded from Videotaped Discussions of “Mars Task” 2 best friends separately decide which hypothetical characters will be rescued first following a space accident. The 2 friends are then brought together and come to a “consensus” answer. Autonomy-Undermining/Enmeshing Behavior: overpersonalizing disagreements pressuring with threats or intimidation false “concessions” and “recantations” Relatedness-Undermining/Hostile Behavior: Rudeness, hostility, sarcasm Ignoring other person, distracting interruptions

13. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33***

14. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Undermining Autonomy with Peer Undermining Relatedness with Peer -.12.28***.06**.39*** Hostility while Disagreeing Predicts Increasing Depression Over Time

15. Failure to Engage: Social Withdrawal Withdrawal scale from Pupil Evaluation Inventory (Pekarik, Prinz, Liebert, Weintraub, & Neale, 1976) Rated by best friend 9 items tapping socially withdrawn behavior, e.g.: “S/he often doesn’t want to hang out or do things with other kids.”

16. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Peer-Ratings of Teen Social Withdrawal.19**.04**.37*** Social Withdrawal Predicts Increasing Depression Over Time

17. Predicting Change in Depression from Social Withdrawal Withdrawal (13) Depression (13)Depression (14).59***.19**

18. Reciprocal Effects of Depression and Social Withdrawal Withdrawal (13) Depression (13)Depression (14) Withdrawal (14).59***.24**.20*.19**

19. Failure to Engage: Becoming Overly Dependent on One’s Best Friend Videotaped Discussions - Supportive Behavior Task with Peers Teens discuss “a problem they were having that they could use some advice or support about.” Topics included dating, problems with peers or siblings, raising money, decisions about participating in teams or clubs Call for Emotional Support: Intensity of emotional distress conveyed to their friend and persistence in asking for help with it during the interaction.

20. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Undermining Autonomy with Peer Undermining Relatedness with Peer -.12.28***.06**.39*** Step IV. Calls for Emotional Support from Peer.14*.02*.41*** High Calls for Emotional Support from Peers Predict Increasing Depression Over Time

21. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Undermining Autonomy with Peer Undermining Relatedness with Peer -.12.28***.06**.39*** Step IV. Calls for Emotional Support from Peer.14*.02*.41*** Step V. Peer-Ratings of Teen Social Withdrawal.17**.03**.44*** Additive Effects of Predictors of Increasing Depression Over Time Total  R 2 = 11%

22. Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Undermining Autonomy & Relatedness with Mother.23***.05***.38*** Autonomy & Relatedness Struggles with Mothers Predict Increasing Depression Over Time

23. Peer Relationship Qualities as Predictors of Age 14 Depressive Symptoms (Controlling for Age 13 Depression) Depressive Symptoms (Age 14)  R 2 Total R 2 Step I. Depressive Symptoms (Age 13).58***.33*** Step II. Gender.04.00.33*** Step III. Undermining Autonomy & Relatedness with Mother.23***.05***.38*** Step IV. Undermining Relatedness with Peer.19**.04**.42*** Step V. Call for Peer Emotional Support.13*.02*.44*** Step VI. Social Withdrawal from Peers.13*.02*.46*** Peer Factors Continue to Predict Over and Above Maternal Relationship Factors Total  R 2 = 13% Multiple R change predictors =.36***

24. Behavioral Pathways for Handling Give & Take of Relationships that Predict Increasing Depression Challenge of Peer Relation- ships

25. Behavioral Pathways for Handling Give & Take of Relationships that Predict Increasing Depression Challenge of Peer Relation- ships Hostility “Fight”

26. Behavioral Pathways for Handling Give & Take of Relationships that Predict Increasing Depression Challenge of Peer Relation- ships Hostility “Fight” Withdrawal “Run”

27. Behavioral Pathways for Handling Give & Take of Relationships that Predict Increasing Depression Challenge of Peer Relation- ships Routes Leading Toward Depression Hostility “Fight” Withdrawal “Run” Excessive Dependence “Cling”

28. Behavioral Pathways for Handling Give & Take of Relationships that Predict Increasing Depression Challenge of Peer Relation- ships Route Leading Away From Depression Routes Leading Toward Depression Hostility “Fight” Withdrawal “Run” Excessive Dependence “Cling” Autonomous Engagement

29. Limitations Correlational Nature of Data & Alternative Causal Models Short Time Frame Assessed Not focusing on “high-risk” adolescents Depressive Symptoms within Community Samples But rates of suicidal ideation across adolescence exceed 60% even in “community samples.” Copies of Related Papers are available at: Teenresearch.org