1. Rejection Sensitivity as a Moderator of the Link between Adolescent Close Relationships and Depressive Symptoms over Time Joanna M. Chango Joseph P. Allen Megan Schad Emily Marston University of Virginia Copies of this and related papers are available at: WWW.TEENRESEARCH.ORG

2. Background Depression during adolescence – Increase in incidence (Lewinsohn et al., 1998) – Increase in prevalence (Lewinsohn et al., 1993)

3. Background Problematic interpersonal relationships Adolescent depression associated with: – Poor family relationship quality (e.g., Eberhart & Hammen, 2006) – Problems establishing autonomy with parents (e.g., Allen et al., 1994) – Lack of connection with peers (e.g., Allen et al., 2006) – Broad markers of peer difficulties (e.g., Galambos et al., 2004; Prinstein & Aikins, 2004)

4. Background Rejection Sensitivity: anxiously expect, readily perceive, and intensely react to rejection by significant others (Ayduk et al., 2003; Downey et al., 2003) Associated with: – Social anxiety, withdrawal (London et al., 2007) – Maladaptive interpersonal behaviors (Downey et al., 1998) – Depressive symptoms (Ayduk et al., 2001; Harper et al., 2006) Is rejection sensitivity consistently related to depression?

5. Background Diathesis Stress Model of Depression (e.g., Zuckerman, 1999) – Sensitivity to stressful life events depend on genetic or biological makeup – Neither the predisposition nor the environmental stressor alone is sufficient to cause depression – Supported by behavioral genetics research (e.g., Kendler et al., 1995)

6. Diathesis: Rejection Sensitivity X Depressive Symptoms Stress: Problematic Relationships Background

7. Research Questions 1) How does rejection sensitivity relate to depressive symptoms over time? 2) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of maternal autonomy and relatedness struggles to predict depression? 3) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of seeking support from close friends to predict depression?

8. Sample 184 Adolescents, their Parents, and Best Friends Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties Assessed Annually, utilizing Ages 16-18 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

9. Research Questions 1) How does rejection sensitivity relate to depressive symptoms over time? 2) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of maternal autonomy and relatedness struggles to predict depression? 3) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of seeking support from close friends to predict depression?

10. Measures Rejection Sensitivity – Self-reported on revised version of the Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire (Downey et al., 1998). – Assessed once, age 16 Depressive Symptoms – Self-reported on the Childhood Depression Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck & Steer, 1987; Kovacs & Beck, 1977). – Assessed annually ages 16-18

11. Stability of Depressive Symptoms Age 16Age 17Age 18 Depressive Symptoms β =.58*** β =.51*** Gender Income Depressive symptoms show moderate stability over 3 year period

12. Cross-sectional Association between Rejection Sensitivity and Depression Rejection Sensitivity Depressive Symptoms β =.35*** Age 16 Gender Income Rejection sensitivity cross-sectionally predicts depressive symptoms at 16

13. Predicting depressive symptoms from rejection sensitivity Age 16 Age 17 Gender Income Depressive Symptoms Rejection Sensitivity β =.51*** β =.22** Rejection sensitivity predicts increases in depressive symptoms at 17

14. Predicting depressive symptoms from rejection sensitivity Age 16 Age 18 Gender Income Depressive Symptoms Rejection Sensitivity β =.22** NS But, by age 18, rejection sensitivity no longer predicts depressive symptoms

15. Research Questions 1) How does rejection sensitivity relate to depressive symptoms over time? 2) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of maternal autonomy and relatedness struggles to predict depression? 3) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of seeking support from close friends to predict depression?

16. Measures A key social-developmental task: – Establish autonomy while learning to maintain connection in close relationships Maternal undermining of teen’s autonomy and relatedness – Assessed during observed disagreement task between adolescent and mother at 16 (Allen et al., 2000) Behaviors undermining autonomy: – avoiding conflict/recanting position – blurring the boundary between person and position – pressuring Behaviors undermining relatedness: – distracting/ignoring – hostility towards teen

17. Interaction of Rejection Sensitivity and Maternal Undermining of Autonomy & Relatedness Predicting Future Depression Adolescent Depression (Age 18) EntryFinal R2R2R2R2 Total R 2 Step II. Baseline Depression (16) Baseline Depression (16).27***.23**.07***.09* Step III. Rejection Sensitivity (16) Rejection Sensitivity (16).17.17.02.11* Step IV. Maternal Undermining A/R Maternal Undermining A/R (Teen age 16) (Teen age 16).23*.13.05*.16** Step V. Rejection Sensitivity X Rejection Sensitivity X Maternal Undermining A/R Maternal Undermining A/R.30***.30***.09***.25***

18. Interaction of Rejection Sensitivity and Maternal Undermining of Autonomy & Relatedness Predicting Future Depression

19. Highly rejection sensitive teens appear particularly vulnerable to negative maternal conflict behavior β =.35***

20. Summary (so far) Rejection sensitivity is not a direct predictor of depressive symptoms at age 18 Rejection sensitivity may be a risk factor for depression only in the context of stressful parental relationships What about friendships?

21. Research Questions 1) How does rejection sensitivity relate to depressive symptoms over time? 2) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of maternal autonomy and relatedness struggles to predict depression? 3) How does rejection sensitivity operate in the context of seeking support from close friends to predict depression?

22. Measures Best friend positive support – Assessed during observed Supportive Behavior Interaction Task (Allen et al., 2004) – Coded for friends’ level of engagement with teen and level of understanding of teen’s problem Engagement: – Listening closely – non-verbal signs of engagement – following up on what teen is saying Understanding: – Explicitly making clear he/she has interpreted problem correctly – Non-verbal signs of understanding

23. Interaction of Rejection Sensitivity and Best Friend Positive Support Predicting Future Depression Adolescent Depression (Age 18) EntryFinal R2R2R2R2 Total R 2 Step II. Baseline Depression (16) Baseline Depression (16).27***.23**.07***.09* Step III. Rejection Sensitivity (16) Rejection Sensitivity (16).17.17.02.11* Step IV. Best Friend Positive Support Best Friend Positive Support (Teen Age 16) (Teen Age 16)-.16.13.03.14** Step V. Rejection Sensitivity X Rejection Sensitivity X Best Friend Positive Support Best Friend Positive Support-.24**-.24**.05**.19**

24. Interaction of Rejection Sensitivity and Best Friend Positive Support Predicting Future Depression

25. Highly rejection sensitive teens appear particularly vulnerable to friends’ supportive behavior β = -.42***

26. Limitations Non-experimental data Sample not high in psychopathology Important to follow teens into adulthood

27. Conclusions Rejection sensitivity as a risk for depressive symptoms in adolescence? – Probably not on its own – Probably so in the face of problematic interpersonal relationships such as: Maternal autonomy and connection struggles with teens Poor support giving behavior from best friends

28. Conclusions Is rejection sensitivity similar to the 5- HTTLPR gene? – Caspi et al. (2003)’s influential finding robustly supports diathesis stress model Overall, rejection sensitivity may not inevitably lead to depression for all adolescents because it really only matters in the context of stressful relationships

29. Ackowledgments Thanks to all of my lab collaborators: Joseph P. Allen Kathleen McElhaney Nell Manning Emily Marston Erin Miga Dave Szwedo Amanda HareMegan Schad Jennifer Heliste Amanda LeTard Katy Higgins I would also like to thank the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development for funding awarded to Joseph P. Allen, PI (Grant # 9R01HD058305-A11) to conduct and write-up this project. Copies of this and related papers are available at: WWW.TEENRESEARCH.ORG