1. The Importance of Positive Peer Relationships in Predicting Decreases in Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms over Time Joanna M. Chango, Erin M. Miga, & Joseph P. Allen University of Virginia
2) If so, are there positive intervening aspects of peer relationships that buffer against the development of depressive symptoms?
The Autonomy and Relatedness Coding System for Peer Interactions (Allen, Porter, & McFarland, 2001; Allen et al., 2000) was used to code these interactions.
Five years later, teen’s friendship competence was then re-assessed at age 18 (M=18.33, SD=0.99)
Adolescents’ self-reported depressive symptoms were also re-assessed at age 21 (M=20.84, SD=0.99) using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck & Steer, 1987).
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Introduction
Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between dysfunctional interpersonal relationships and depressive symptoms in adolescence (e.g., Allen et al., 2006; Nolan et al., 2003; Prinstein &Aikins, 2004).
Specifically, we have found within our own research that teens who exhibit problems establishing both autonomy and relatedness with parents develop various psychosocial and/or relational problems (e.g. McElhaney & Allen, 2001; Allen et al., 1996 ; Allen et al., 1994).
Given that friendships become
increasingly significant contexts for development during adolescence (Berndt, 1996), it is important to understand how these problematic behaviors with friends specifically relate to adolescent depressive symptoms, which is an underdeveloped area of research.
Furthermore, little is known about beneficial markers of adolescent friendships that my contribute to alleviating depressive symptoms.
Methods
Participants
Longitudinal, multi-method data were obtained for 184 target adolescents (86 male, 98 female) and their same-sex close friends.
Median family income was in the
$40,000 to $59,000 range
The target sample is 63% European-American, 27% African-American, and 10% mixed race or other race.
Measures and Procedure
The following constructs were assessed during the first wave of data collection, when teens were 13 yrs-old (M=13.35, SD=0.63):
Adolescents self-reported baseline depression level using the Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovaks & Beck, 1977)
Adolescents’ baseline friendship competence, as reported by their close friend, using the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (Harter, 1988).
Observed teen interaction patterns with their close friends, specifically adolescents’ negative autonomy and relatedness behaviors, during a revealed differences task.
Discussion
Results
Results highlight the importance of considering both positive, such as friendship competency, and negative aspects of peer relationships in understanding adolescent depression.
Consistent with previous work on parental relationships (e.g., Allen et al., 1996), the ability to establish both autonomy and relatedness with friends are important developmental tasks during adolescence, particularly in relation to the development of depressive symptoms . The better teens are able to negotiate friendships early on may prepare them to be more competent with friends, thus decreasing depressive symptoms years later.
This study also suggests the need for increased concentration on early peer relationships as contexts for both exacerbating and alleviating depressive symptoms in late adolescence.
Using Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML), a series of hierarchical linear regressions revealed that:
1) Higher levels of observed teen negative autonomy and relatedness with friends at age 13 predicts relative increases in depressive symptoms 7 years later.
Research Questions
2) However, lower levels of these observed negative autonomy and relatedness behaviors with friends at age 13 predicts relative increases in close friendship competence at age 18, which subsequently predicts relative decreases in depressive symptoms at age 21.
The present study seeks to address the following questions:
1) Do specific negative adolescent behaviors within friendship interactions predict change in depressive symptoms over time?