Brief report: Peer group influences and adolescent internalizing problems as mediated by effortful control

Internalizing problems in adolescence encompass behaviors directed inward at the self (Colman, Wadsworth, Croudace, & Jones, 2007). Several predictors have been linked to internalizing problems including antisocial and prosocial peers (Cartwright, 2007; Chung, 2010). Effortful control, a component of self-regulation, is one factor that could mediate the relationship between peer behaviors and individual outcomes. This study assessed the relationship between peer behaviors, effortful control, and adolescent internalizing problems. Participants were 151 middle school adolescents (M = 12.16 years old) who completed self-report questionnaires regarding behaviors of their peers, perceptions of effortful control, and experiences of internalizing problems. Structural equation modeling (SEM) yielded a significant negative relationship between antisocial peers and effortful control, and a significant positive relationship between prosocial peers and effortful control. In addition, effortful control significantly mediated the relationship between prosocial peers and internalizing problems, but not for antisocial peers. Implications for interventions related to adolescent health were discussed.     

How Adolescent Girls Understand and Manage Depression Within Their Peer Group: A Grounded Theory Investigation

Depression is prevalent among adolescent girls, but few receive mental health treatment. Adolescent girls often forgo needed mental health treatment because they fear responses of peers about depression. Understanding the processes of how adolescent girls respond to peers with depression is an important first step to improve access to mental health treatment. This qualitative study describes the knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors of adolescent girls about depression and mental health treatment within their peer group. The investigators conducted two focus groups, with adolescent girls (n = 21), in a public high school in the southern U.S. Grounded theory methods were utilized to identify a beginning substantive theory about perceptions and behaviors of adolescent girls related to depression in their peers. Participants cognitively processed mental health concepts similarly to adults. However, their affective responses to peers with mental illness fluctuated between adult and child perspectives. Participants expressed concerns about individuals with depression that have previously been identified in adults, but expressed unique perspectives that reflect their transitional stage of development. Findings provide new information about how adolescent girls respond to peers with depression, define areas for further investigation, provide directions for constructing developmentally appropriate mental health educational interventions for adolescent girls, and elucidate the need to provide guidance to women with whom adolescent girls have sustained contact.     

La dépression chez les adolescents migrants

Migrant adolescents are at a higher risk of presenting mental disorders, in particular internalized disorders such as depression. Being an adolescent and a migrant is a double psychological vulnerability. First generation migrant adolescents are more exposed than their elders to the possibility of encountering trauma as a result of migration. Second generation migrant adolescents are more vulnerable to the risk of intergenerational conflict and thus lose many protective factors provided by the family unit. Depressed migrant adolescents show a combination of classic symptoms of depression and other symptoms that are specific in their intensity or frequency. Somatic symptoms, externalized behaviors and ideas of persecution are more prominent. Isolation is often twofold, from peers on the one hand, and from parents on the other. The construction of identity, a central process of development in adolescence, is made more complex. The internal psychic conflict between the culture of peers and the transmission of the culture of the parents may thus prevent the adolescent from developing their own identity and incorporating a mixed cultural concept of self. Difficulties in this developmental process increase the risk of depressive disorders in this adolescent population.     

Peer suicidal behavior and adolescent risk behavior

The relationship between adolescent suicide attempts and death by suicide and psychosocial functioning of peers remains poorly understood, especially in the myriad ways that these suicidal behaviors might impact friends. This study explored the relationship between peer suicidal behavior and adolescent risk behavior using a large, nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 5852). Results indicate that youth exposed to peer suicidal behavior are significantly more likely to have their own suicidal ideation and attempts, and to smoke cigarettes and marijuana, binge drink, be involved in a serious physical fight, and have inflicted injuries that require medical attention. These results highlight the need for professionals to be aware of these risks in friends of those who have attempted or died by suicide. Assessment and intervention for peers is appropriate and required for this at-risk group.     

Comparing reports of peer rejection: Associations with rejection sensitivity,victimization, aggression,and friendship

Perceiving that one is rejected is an important correlate of emotional maladjustment. Yet, self-perceptions can substantially differ from classmate-reports of who is rejected. In this study, discrepancies between self- and classmate-reports of rejection were identified in 359 Australian adolescents (age 10–12 years). As expected, adolescents who overestimated rejection reported more rejection sensitivity and felt more victimized by their peers, but were not seen by peers as more victimized. Adolescents who underestimated rejection identified themselves as high in overt aggression, and their peers identified them as high in overt and relational aggression and low in prosocial behavior. Yet, underestimators' feelings of friendship satisfaction did not seem to suffer and they reported low rejection sensitivity. Results suggest that interventions to promote adolescent health should explicitly recognize the different needs of those who do and do not seem to perceive their high rejection, as well as adolescents who overestimate their rejection.     

Associated Health Risks of Adolescents with Disordered Eating: How Different Are They from Their Peers? Results from a High School Survey

In this study, we compare health risks of adolescents with disordered eating to those of their peers without disordered eating. A self-report health survey from a community sample of 1769 high school students was used to compare emotional, medical, and social behaviors of these two groups. Risk data for disordered eating students was compared within and across genders. Adolescents with disordered eating are at increased risk for emotional and physical health problems compared to their peers. Overall health risks for boys and girls with disordered eating are quite similar. However, boys with disordered eating develop associated health risk profiles that differentiate them from male peers by having increased mental health, sexual and physical abuse, and general health problems. Girls with disordered eating have associated health risks for substance use and sexual risk-taking that distinguished them from their female peers.     

Brief report: “I can’t talk about it:” Sexuality and self-silencing as interactive predictors of depressive symptoms in adolescent dating couples

This longitudinal study examined sexual intercourse within adolescent romantic relationships as a couple-level moderator of the association between adolescent individual characteristics and depressive symptoms. Two hundred nine middle- and older-adolescent dating couples (aged 14-17 and 17-21, respectively) reported on their own self-silencing, depressive symptoms, and sexual behaviors. At Time 1, frequency of sexual intercourse significantly moderated the relationship between self-silencing and depressive symptoms, such that adolescents higher in self-silencing engaging in more frequent sex were at risk for clinically significant levels of depression. Adolescents who were low in self-silencing were not at increased risk for depression, regardless of frequency of sex. Self-silencing also significantly predicted increases in depressive symptoms from Time 1 to Time 2. Implications include the possibility that frequent sex in highly self-silencing adolescents exacerbates psychological depletion believed to link self-silencing to depressive symptoms, and that this depletion compounds over time.     

Understanding AIDS-risk behavior among adolescents in psychiatric care: links to psychopathology and peer relationships

OBJECTIVE: Severely mentally ill youths are at elevated risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection, but little is known about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) risk behavior in adolescents who seek outpatient mental health services or about the links between psychiatric problems and particular high-risk behaviors. This pilot study used structural equation modeling to conduct a path analysis to explore the direct and indirect effects of adolescent psychopathology on risky sex, drug/alcohol use, and needle use. METHOD: Ethnically diverse youths (N = 86) and their caregivers who sought outpatient psychiatric services in Chicago completed questionnaires of adolescent psychopathology. Youths reported their relationship attitudes, peer influence, sexual behavior, and drug/alcohol use. RESULTS: Different AIDS-risk behaviors were associated with distinct forms of adolescent psychopathology (e.g., delinquency was linked to drug/alcohol use, whereas aggression was related to risky sexual behavior), and peer influence mediated these linkages. Some patterns were similar for caregiver- and adolescent-reported problems (e.g., peer influence mediated the relation between delinquency and drug/alcohol use), but others were different (e.g., caregiver-reported delinquency was associated with risky sex, whereas adolescent-reported delinquency was not). CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the complexity of factors (types of informants and dimensions of psychopathology) that underlie AIDS risk in troubled youths, and they offer specific directions for designing and implementing uniquely tailored AIDS prevention programs, for example, by targeting delinquent behavior and including high-risk peers and important family members in interventions.     

Longitudinal associations between social anxiety symptoms and cannabis use throughout adolescence: the role of peer involvement

There appear to be contradicting theories and empirical findings on the association between adolescent Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) symptoms and cannabis use, suggesting potential risk as well as protective pathways. The aim of this six-year longitudinal study was to further examine associations between SAD symptoms and cannabis use over time in adolescents from the general population, specifically focusing on the potential role that adolescents’ involvement with their peers may have in these associations. Participants were 497 Dutch adolescents (57 % boys; M _age = 13.03 at T₁), who completed annual self-report questionnaires for 6 successive years. Cross-lagged panel analysis suggested that adolescent SAD symptoms were associated with less peer involvement 1 year later. Less adolescent peer involvement was in turn associated with lower probabilities of cannabis use as well as lower frequency of cannabis use 1 year later. Most importantly, results suggested significant longitudinal indirect paths from adolescent SAD symptoms to cannabis use via adolescents’ peer involvement. Overall, these results provide support for a protective function of SAD symptoms in association with cannabis use in adolescents from the general population. This association is partially explained by less peer involvement (suggesting increased social isolation) for those adolescents with higher levels of SAD symptoms. Future research should aim to gain more insight into the exact nature of the relationship between anxiety and cannabis use in adolescents from the general population, especially regarding potential risk and protective processes that may explain this relationship.     

Mental health of adolescents with currently and formerly incarcerated parents

Reliable information about children of incarcerated people is difficult to obtain, and major gaps exist in our understanding of their well-being. This study aims to determine whether adolescents with incarcerated parents report higher levels of mental health problems than those without an incarcerated parent, and whether the relationship between parental incarceration and adolescent mental health is moderated by parent-child relationships. Using a statewide survey from one US state, we compared adolescents with a currently incarcerated parent to those with a formerly incarcerated parent and those with no history of parental incarceration on self-reported indicators of mental health, and examined whether strong parent-child relationships were protective against mental health concerns. Results indicate that adolescents with incarcerated parents are at elevated risk for mental health problems, and strong parent-child relationships partially buffer children from risk. Findings underscore the need for more investment in effective early interventions for adolescents in highly adverse contexts.     

Examining the link between economic strain and adolescent social behavior: Roles of social bonds and empathy

IntroductionThe detrimental effect of economic strain on adolescent behavioral development is well established, but the mechanisms explaining this relationship are less known. This study aims to explore the psychosocial factors operating as pathways connecting economic strain to adolescent antisocial and prosocial behaviors, and examine whether these effects differ by gender.MethodsThe sample includes 1280 adolescents from middle and high schools in Hebei province, China (Mean age = 15.68 years; 52.6% girls), collected by a multi-stage cluster random sampling. Multi-group structural equation modeling is adopted for data analysis.ResultsSocial bonds partially mediate the relationship between economic strain and adolescent antisocial behavior, and empathy fully mediates the relationship between economic strain and prosocial behavior after controlling for gender, age, household registration, and subjective socioeconomic status. In terms of gender differences, boys display more antisocial behaviors and less prosocial behaviors compared with girls. Significant gender differences are also found in the effect of economic strain on adolescent social behavior.ConclusionsThis study contributes to current knowledge by revealing the psychosocial mechanisms between economic strain and adolescent antisocial/prosocial behaviors. Findings highlight the gender differences in behavioral development among Chinese adolescents.     

The relationship between violence exposure and HIV sexual risk behavior: does gender matter?

This study examined the association between violence exposures and HIV risk behaviors among 409 adolescents and whether such associations are gendered. Results indicated that adolescents exposed to either childhood sexual abuse or family or community violence were almost 3 and 4 times more likely, respectively, than peers not exposed to such violence to report a higher number of HIV-related risk behaviors. In addition, boys exposed to family violence were almost 3 times more likely than girls to report multiple partners and use of drugs during sex. Findings suggest a complex relationship among violence, gender, and HIV risks among adolescents.     

Short-term and long-term influences of family arguments and gender difference on developing psychological well-being in Taiwanese adolescents

Adolescent mental health is crucial for social competence and accomplishment in later life. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 20% of adolescents suffer from psychological symptoms. However, improving family risk and school environments can largely promote adolescent mental health. A longitudinal survey was conducted to investigate adolescent psychological well-being (PWB) status and associated factors in adolescents 15–20 years of age. Family and school context variables were interviewed and recorded. A total of 2896 participants were included from high, middle, and less urbanized resident areas in Northern Taiwan with completed interview data. Using multivariate regression analysis, factors associated with adolescent PWB at various stages included quarrelsome parents, quarrels with parents, severed friendships, and cigarette and alcohol use. In all three adolescent stages, females yielded higher psychological symptom scores than did males, and diverse weights of risk factors on PWB were observed between genders. Family arguments and cigarette and alcohol use were found to have more pronounced effects on outcomes among females than males. Whereas males are more sensitive to severed friendships than females, cigarette and alcohol use showed more harmful effects on mental health in earlier adolescence than in later life. Moreover, family arguments and severed friendships in earlier adolescence were found to have lasting effects on PWB in later adolescence. In this study, gender differences were observed in the temporal relationship on adolescent mental health. Variables of family arguments and severed friendships exhibited short-term and long-term effects on adolescent mental health across the early to late developmental stages. The family argument environment and regulating cigarette and alcohol use are worthy of focus to promote adolescent mental health.     

Identifying community risk factors for HIV among South African adolescents with mental health problems: A qualitative study of parental perceptions

High risk sexual behaviour, alcohol and drug use, and mental health problems combine to yield high levels of HIV-risk behaviour among adolescents with mental health problems. In South Africa, little research has been conducted on parental perspectives of HIV-risk among this population. We conducted a series of focus group discussions with 28 mothers of adolescents receiving services at two mental health clinics in South Africa to identify, from their perspectives, the key community problems facing their children. Participants indicated that HIV remained a serious threat to their adolescent children's well-being, in addition to substance abuse, early sexual debut, and teenage pregnancy. These social problems were mentioned as external to their household dynamics, and thus seemingly beyond the purview of the parent–adolescent relationship. These data have implications for the design of family-based interventions to ameliorate the factors associated with HIV-risk among youth receiving mental health services.     

Personality functioning and clinical presentation in early adolescence. II

This study describes the presentation of early adolescents on clinical examination and its relation to personality function competence. As part of a longitudinal study 63 non-clinical subjects at age 13 underwent a semi-structured psychiatric interview. On the basis of their responses their phenomenology, attitudes, defence mechanisms and degree of relatedness to significant others were assessed independently and blindly by two psychiatrists. Our findings show that a significant minority of early adolescents have a definite personality function disturbance and that these adolescents differ from their more competent peers on a number of characteristics identifiable in a clinical interview. Such a relationship was observed in boys as well as girls, with girls presenting no greater amount of turmoil than boys. These results indicate that adolescents cannot be adequately described as a homogeneous group. Differences in individual personality functioning result in differences in the presentation and internal experience of the early adolescent.     

The effects of parental mental health and social-emotional coping on adolescent eating disorder attitudes and behaviors

This study examined whether social-emotional coping skills moderate the association between parental mental health symptoms and adolescent disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in a clinical sample of adolescents with internalizing and/or externalizing symptoms. Fifty-nine adolescent-parent dyads (N = 118 total participants) recruited from a metropolitan area in the Northeastern United States completed assessments at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Generally, higher parental depression and anxiety were only found to be associated with greater disordered eating attitudes and behaviors among adolescents who reported poorer (versus stronger) emotional awareness/expression skills and less (versus greater) ability to regulate emotions. Results may suggest that adolescents who lack the ability to effectively recognize, express, and manage negative emotions that arise in the context of a challenging home environment may be at greater risk for engaging in maladaptive coping behaviors, such as disordered eating. Thus, bolstering adolescent social-emotional coping skills may help protect against adolescent disordered eating.     

Adolescent risk behaviours and protective factors against peer influence

This study examined the relationships between protective factors and involvement in risk behaviour of Italian adolescents with friends involved in risk. Protective factors were drawn from models of peers and from individual skills (perceived regulatory self-efficacy, intolerant attitudes about deviance) and orientation (to health, school, religion). The data are from two waves, 1 year apart, of a questionnaire survey of adolescents in northwestern Italy. Participants were 908 adolescents (42% boys) ages 14–16 years. Results of a hierarchical regression revealed that religiosity is a protective factor and that friends' models for conventional behaviours and positive attitude about health can mitigate the influence of deviant friends on adolescent risk behaviour 1 year later, even after controlling for prior levels of risk behaviour. Possible implications of this study suggest the importance of implementing preventive interventions by involving the peer group, especially at about 16 years, and working with heterogeneous (deviant and nondeviant) groups.     

Rejection sensitivity and adolescents' perceptions of romantic interactions

Rejection sensitivity – the tendency to expect, perceive, and overreact to rejection by others – is linked with individuals' expectations that their romantic partners' behaviors have negative intent, even if, perhaps, such behaviors could be considered neutral when observed by another. The aim of the present study was to test this proposition, derived from rejection sensitivity theory, using a Video-Recall Procedure with adolescent couples in the US (N = 386 adolescents, 50% girls). We examined whether adolescents who were more sensitive to rejection perceived their romantic partners' behaviors as more conflictual than when viewed by trained, third-party observers. Findings suggest that, at the micro-analytic level, higher rejection sensitivity is associated with adolescents' heightened perception of their romantic partners as conflictual when compared to observers, who more often coded the same behaviors as neutral rather than conflictual. Implications for adolescent mental health and well-being are discussed.     

Parent–adolescent joint projects involving leisure time and activities during the transition to high school

Leisure research to date has generally overlooked planning and organizing of leisure time and activities between parents and adolescents. This investigation examined how a sample of Canadian adolescents and their parents jointly constructed and acted on goals related to adolescents' leisure time during the move from elementary to high school. Using the Qualitative Action-Project Method, data were collected over an 8–10 month period from 26 parent–adolescent dyads located in two urban sites, through video-taped conversations about leisure time, video recall interviews, and telephone monitoring interviews. Analysis of the data revealed that the joint projects of the 26 dyads could be grouped into three clusters: a) governance transfer or attempts to shift, from parent to adolescent, responsibility over academic demands, organizing leisure time, and safety with peers, b) balancing extra-curricular activities with family life, academics, and social activities, and c) relationship adjustment or maintenance.     

Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism: An Investigation of Comorbid Anxiety and Depression

Adolescents with high-functioning autism (HFA) possess core social and pragmatic deficits, which interfere with normal relationship development. At a time when friendships are increasingly important, many adolescents with HFA realize they are different from their peers. Initial research has indicated that adolescence is the time when symptoms of anxiety and depression are most likely to develop. The purpose of this study was to increase knowledge about anxiety and depression in HFA through focusing on the adolescent development period and obtaining assessment information from multiple sources. Results indicate that adolescents reported elevated levels of social anxiety, separation panic, and anhedonia compared with normative samples. Parents and teachers reported that adolescents experienced significant overall anxiety and depressive symptomatology compared with the normative samples. Manifestations of HFA were associated with higher levels of anxiety as reported by parents. Results bring into question the validity of self-report scales for adolescents with HFA in the ability to accurately self-report and in the measures’ capacity to differentiate between internalizing symptoms and core HFA behaviors.