Direct and Moderated Predictions to Late Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms from Emotionally Stressful Family Contexts Joanna M. Chango Ann Spilker Joseph P. Allen Copies of this and related papers are available at:

Overarching Question What are the contributions of emotionally stressful family environments on late adolescent internalizing symptoms?

Abuse, Neglect, & Maltreatment

Current study focuses on…

Correlates and predictions Hopelessness depression (Gibb et al., 2001) Internalizing symptomatology (McGee et al., 1997) Low self-esteem (Tricket et al., 2011) Anxious symptoms (Wright et al., 2009) Longitudinal changes in childhood self- esteem and depressive symptoms (Kim & Cicchetti, 2006)

Research Question(s) How do emotional neglect, abuse, and psychological control relate to anxiety, depressive symptoms, and self-worth in late adolescence?

Sample 173 Adolescents Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties Assessed Annually, utilizing Ages Equal numbers of Males and Females Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= $40- $60K) Racially Diverse (31% African American; 69% European American) Very low Attrition

Emotionally stressful family context measures: Emotional neglect Self reports of emotional neglect from Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 1994) Age 16 Answer questions based on what it was like growing up in the teens’ family over past year “People in my family felt close to one another; I felt loved” (reverse coded)

Trait Anxiety Self reports of general anxiety using the trait version of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, 1970) Age 16 and 18 “I worry too much over something that doesn’t really matter” “I feel difficulties are piling up so that I cannot overcome them”

Predicting Relative Increases in Anxiety from Emotional Neglect Age 16 Age 18 Gender Income Baseline Anxiety Trait Anxiety Emotional Neglect β =.30*** β =.29*** Total R 2 =.19***

Social Anxiety Self reports of total social anxiety on the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (LaGreca & Lopez, 1998) Age 18 (general anxiety at 16) “I get nervous when I meet new people” “I only talk to people I know really well”

Predicting Relative Increases In Social Anxiety from Emotional Neglect Age 16 Age 18 Gender Income Baseline Anxiety Social Anxiety Emotional Neglect β =.28*** β =.32*** Total R 2 =.18**

Self Worth Self reported self-worth on the Harter Self- Perception Profile for Adolescents (Harter, 1988) Age 16 and 18 “Some people are often disappointed with themselves” vs. “Some people are often pretty pleased with themselves”

Predicting Relative Decreases in Self Worth from Emotional Neglect Age 16 Age 18 Gender Income Baseline Self Worth Emotional Neglect β =.54*** β = -.25** Total R 2 =.33***

Correlations among anxiety, social anxiety, and self worth Self Worth Social Anxiety Trait Anxiety β = -.49*** β =.62*** β = -.52***

Depressive Symptoms Teens reported on their depressive symptoms using: – the Childhood Depression Inventory at age 16 (Kovacs & Beck, 1977) – The Beck Depression Inventory at age 18 (Beck & Steer, 1987)

Predicting Depressive Symptoms from Emotional Neglect Age 16 Age 18 Gender Income Baseline Depressive Symptoms Emotional Neglect β =.26** NS

Summary so far Emotional neglect predicts: Increased general anxiety and social anxiety Decreased self worth Does not predict depressive symptoms

Diathesis: Rejection Sensitivity X Depressive Symptoms Stress: Direct emotional stress Diathesis stress models

Emotionally stressful family context measures: Emotional abuse Self reports of emotional abuse from Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein et al., 1994) Age 16 More direct in nature than emotional neglect “People in my family called me things like stupid, lazy, or ugly”

Individual diathesis: Rejection sensitivity Teens reported on sensitivity to rejection on the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (RSQ; Downey & Feldman, 1996) Age hypothetical situations, indicate level of concern/anxiety about the outcome and the likelihood that the other would respond favorably

Depressive Symptoms Low emotional abuse High emotional abuse Rejection sensitivity and emotional abuse interact to predict depressive symptoms

Depressive Symptoms Low emotional abuse High emotional abuse Rejection sensitivity and emotional abuse interact to predict depressive symptoms Emotional abuse predicts relative increases in depressive symptoms only for highly rejection sensitive teens

Emotionally stressful family context measures: Psychological control Father reports of psychological control vs. autonomy on the Childhood Report of Parenting Behavior Inventory (Schaefer, 1965; Schluderman & Schluderman, 1970) Assessed at teen age 16; N= 83 fathers “I am always telling my son/daughter how he/she should behave”

Depressive Symptoms Low paternal psychological control High paternal psychological control Rejection sensitivity and paternal psychological control interact to predict depressive symptoms

Depressive Symptoms Low paternal psychological control High paternal psychological control Rejection sensitivity and paternal psychological control interact to predict depressive symptoms Increases in depressive symptoms much more likely to occur for teens who experience high levels of psychological control and who are highly rejection sensitive

Limitations Mostly self report, non-causal Multiple measures of stressful family environments/abuse exist- we only examine 3 Short time frame in adolescence, may be important to follow into adulthood

Conclusions Autonomy, a huge developmental challenge in adolescence, is being undermined Diathesis stress model and hopelessness theories of depression (e.g., Abramson et al., 1989; Caspi et al., 2003; Metalsky & Joiner, 1992)

Conclusions Neglect Abuse and rejection sensitivity Lack of confidence in self and social situations Sad, down, possibly more severe depressogenic cognitions

Acknowledgements Thanks to my co-authors, Joe Allen Ph. D, and Ann Spilker Thanks to all of my lab collaborators: Kathleen McElhaney, Ph. D. Caroline White Nell Manning, Ph. D Emily Marston, Ph.D Erin Miga, Ph. D Dave Szwedo Amanda Hare, Ph. D Megan Schad Elie Hessel Emily Loeb Chris Hafen Barbara Oudekerk I would also like to thank the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development for funding awarded to Joseph P. Allen, PI (Grant # 9R01HD A11) to conduct and write-up this project. Copies of this and related papers are available at: