1. Early Adolescent Peer Foundations of Late Adolescent and Young Adult Psychological Adjustment Joanna M. Chango Joseph P. Allen, Ph.D David Szwedo Megan Schad Copies of this and related papers are available at: WWW.TEENRESEARCH.ORG

2. Self Determination Theory Autonomy Competence Relatedness Positive Self- Motivation and Personality Development

3. Self Determination Theory Autonomy Competence Relatedness Positive Self- Motivation and Personality Development

4. Autonomy and Relatedness Related to range of positive adolescent outcomes: – High self esteem – Ego development – Attachment security – Lack of depressive symptoms – Closer friendships, higher social acceptance – Highly correlated, combination is most important

5. Peer Relationships in Adolescence

6. Overarching Question What are the long-term consequences of failing to establish autonomy and relatedness in early adolescent close friendships?

7. Depression and Peer Relationships Depression linked to broad markers of problematic peer relationships: – Peer rejection – Lack of popularity – Lack of interpersonal support Undermining relatedness with peers linked with increases in depressive symptoms over short term in early adolescence

8. Social Withdrawal and Peer Relationships Peer difficulties also related to child and adolescent social withdrawal Social withdrawal show powerful links to long- term psychological and health outcomes – Loneliness – Cardiovascular disease – Earl mortality

9. Intervening experiences? Social support found to mediate the link between stress and depressive affect Friendship quantity and quality found to mediate the link between peer acceptance and loneliness and depression

10. Research questions How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict close friendship abilities in late adolescence? How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict depression and social withdrawal in young adulthood? Does close friendship competence mediate the expected long-term predictions to depressive symptoms and social withdrawal?

11. Sample 184 Adolescents, and their closest peer Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties Assessed Annually, utilizing Ages 13, 18, and 21 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

12. Research questions How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict close friendship abilities in late adolescence? How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict depression and social withdrawal in young adulthood? Does close friendship competence mediate the expected long-term predictions to depressive symptoms and social withdrawal?

13. Observed Autonomy and Relatedness 8-min disagreement task with close peer Hypothetical dilemma, try to come to a consensus Coded using Autonomy and Relatedness Coding System for Peer Interactions (Allen et al., 2001) Combined scale for behaviors undermining autonomy and connection with close peer: – Avoiding conflict – Overpersonalizing the disagreement – Pressuring – Interruptions/ignoring – Hostility

14. Close Friendship Competence Close peers reported on teens’ close friendship competence using the Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents (Harter, 1988) Two contrasting descriptors, rate the extent to which choice is sort of true or really true about teen “Some people don’t have a friend that is close enough to share really personal thoughts and feelings with/some people do have a friend that is close enough to share personal thoughts and feelings with.”

15. Predicting Relative Increases in Close Friendship Competence Age 13 Age 18 Gender Income Close Friendship Competence Lack of Autonomy and Relatedness with Peers β =.05 β = -.20*** Close Friendship Competence Inability to establish autonomy and connection with friends predicts decreases in close friendship competence at age 21

16. Research questions How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict close friendship abilities in late adolescence? How does a lack of autonomy and connection predict depression and social withdrawal in young adulthood? Does close friendship competence mediate the expected long-term predictions to depressive symptoms and social withdrawal?

17. Depressive Symptoms Teens self reported on their depressive symptoms using: – the Childhood Depression Inventory at age 13 (Kovacs & Beck, 1977) – The Beck Depression Inventory at age 21 (Beck & Steer, 1987)

18. Social Withdrawal Age 13: Closest peer rated teens’ social withdrawal using the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (Pekarik et al., 1976) – “S/he often doesn’t want to hang out or do things with other kids” Age 21: social withdrawal assessed using closest friend ratings on the Adult Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2003). – “S/he would rather be alone than with other others”

19. Correlation between depressive symptoms and social withdrawal at age 21 Depressive Symptoms Social Withdrawal β =.05

20. Predicting Relative Increases in Depressive Symptoms Age 13 Age 21 Gender Income Depressive Symptoms Autonomy and Relatedness β =.18* Depressive Symptoms Social Withdrawal β =.08 Autonomy and Relatedness

21. Predicting Relative Increases in Depressive Symptoms Age 13 Age 21 Gender Income Depressive Symptoms Autonomy and Relatedness β =.18* Depressive Symptoms Social Withdrawal β =.08 β =.34*** Lack of Autonomy and Relatedness with Peers Inability to establish autonomy and connection with friends predicts increases in depressive symptoms at age 21

22. Predicting Relative Increases in Social Withdrawal Age 13 Age 21 Gender Income Social Withdrawal Autonomy and Relatedness β =.08 Social Withdrawal Depressive Symptoms β =.04

23. Predicting Relative Increases in Social Withdrawal Age 13 Age 21 Gender Income Social Withdrawal Autonomy and Relatedness β =.08 Social Withdrawal Depressive Symptoms β =.04 β =.18* Lack of Autonomy and Relatedness with Peers Inability to establish autonomy and connection with friends predicts increases in social withdrawal at age 21

24. Summary so far Lack of autonomy and connection with close peers in early adolescence predicts: – Increased difficulties in close friendships in late adolescence – Increased depressive symptoms in young adulthood – Increased socially withdrawn behaviors in young adulthood

25. Research questions How does a lack of autonomy and connection relate to close friendship abilities in late adolescence? How does a lack of autonomy and connection relate to depression and social withdrawal in young adulthood? Does close friendship competence mediate the expected long-term predictions to depressive symptoms and social withdrawal?

26. Lack of Autonomy & Relatedness Depressive Symptoms Close Friendship Competence Depressive Symptoms Close Friendship Competence Age 13Age 18Age 21 0.34*** 0.38*** Gender Income -0.18* 0.19* 0.15*

27. Lack of Autonomy & Relatedness Depressive Symptoms Close Friendship Competence Depressive Symptoms Close Friendship Competence Age 13Age 18Age 21 -0.23** -0.24** 0.30*** 0.38*** Indirect effect =.06* Total R 2 =.22*** RMSEA= 0.00 CFI= 1.00 Gender Income -0.18* 0.19* 0.15*

28. Lack of Autonomy & Relatedness Social Withdrawal Close Friendship Competence Social Withdrawal Close Friendship Competence Age 13Age 18Age 21 Gender Income 0.42*** 0.18* -0.23*** -0.40***

29. Lack of Autonomy & Relatedness Social Withdrawal Close Friendship Competence Social Withdrawal Close Friendship Competence Age 13Age 18Age 21 Gender Income -0.24** 0.42*** -0.27** 0.14 -0.23*** -0.40*** Indirect effect =.06 ‪ † ‬ Total R 2 =.12* RMSEA= 0.00 CFI= 1.00

30. Limitations Data are non-causal Community-based sample, not at-risk for high levels of psychopathology More research into adulthood is needed

31. Conclusions Critical developmental processes show implications for functioning 8 years later Some continuity in early to late adolescent friendship abilities Support a stress generation hypothesis of depression (Hammen, 1991)

32. Conclusions Partial mediation for depression, less so for social withdrawal If causal links are supported, may be able to inform psychosocial interventions

33. Thanks to my co-authors Joe Allen, Ph.D, Dave Szwedo, and Megan Schad 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 Ann Spilker Amanda Hare, Ph.D Elie Hessel Emily Loeb Barbara Oudekerk Chris Hafen 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 Acknowledgements