1. Birds of a Feather: Intensification Effects of Teen Best Friendships on Psychological Functioning Meghan Costello University of Virginia. Faculty Advisor: Joseph Allen
Introduction
Results
Conclusions
Could friendships work in both harmful and beneficial ways?
Co-rumination - reciprocal encouragement of problem talk, repeated interest in details of problems, wondering about problems, and dwelling on negative affect
Deviancy Training - friendships that are organized around deviance amplify risk for maladaptation.
Hypothesis
Greater friendship intensity will predict relative increases in depression and aggression, but only for teens that had a higher corresponding baseline score.
Full Information Maximum Likelihood approach for handling missing data yielded significant results (see figures 1 and 2).
Teen autonomy, relatedness, and close peer engagement predicted relative changes in teen aggression and depression scores over the next year, moderated by teen baseline scores.
Friendship intensity in adolescence is associated with relative changes in aggression and depression depending on baseline psychopathologies.
Effects are greater for those teens who display more intense baseline symptoms in either direction.
Best friends can amplify intrinsic tendencies in both positive and negative directions. This process likely occurs through selection of friends with similar qualities, who then socially reinforce these qualities.
Autonomy
Relatedness
Close Peer Engagement
Figure 1. Predicting Changes in Aggressive Symptoms from Friendship Intensity
Methods
Participants
175 teens, mean age years
Procedure
Time 1 – Age 16, self-report surveys and discussion task
Time 2 – Age 17, self-report surveys.
Measures
Depressive symptoms and aggressive symptoms were assessed via participant report.
Friendship intensity was assessed via an 8-minute disagreement interaction:
Autonomy – use of reasoning
Relatedness – level of warmth/connectedness
Close Peer Engagement - displayed investment/involvement
Autonomy
Relatedness
Close Peer Engagement
Figure 2. Predicting Changes in Depressive Symptoms from Friendship Intensity