No abstract

Using a nationally representative sample of adolescents, we examine associations among social integration (network size), network cohesion (alter-density), perceptions of social relationships (e.g., social support) and adolescent depressive symptoms. We find that adolescents with either too large or too small a network have higher levels of depressive symptoms. Among girls, however, the ill effects of over-integration only occur at low levels of network cohesion. For boys, in contrast, the ill effects of over-integration only occur at high levels of network cohesion. Large social networks tend not to compromise positive perceptions of friend support or belonging; whereas, small networks are associated with low perceptions of friend support and belonging. Hence, perceptions of social relationships mediate the ill effects of under-integration, but not over-integration, on depressive symptoms. Roughly 30 percent of adolescents report moderate to severe depressive symptoms (Rushton, Forcier and Schectman 2002). The early occurrence of depression in adolescence sets a foundation for recurrent and severe depressive episodes later in life (Belsher and Costello 1988; Kovacs et al. 1984). Depression in adolescence is also an urgent health concern. Depressive symptoms are the strongest predictor of suicidal ideation which, in turn, predicts suicide attempts (Kandel, Raveis and Davies 1991). Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 10-14 year olds in the United States and the third leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds (Anderson 2001). This research explores how the network structure and perception of adolescent friendships influence depressive symptoms in adolescence. Several decades of research make a clear link between social relationships and depressive symptoms in adolescence. This is not surprising given that cultivating and managing peer relationships is a central developmental task of adolescence, requiring much time and energy. The vast majority of research on peer relationships focuses on perceptions The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the William T. Grant Foundation. We would also like to express thanks to Jim Moody for graciously sharing his SAS Programs for Analyzing Networks users manual.

Using longitudinal data from 769 white adolescents in the Midwest, this research applies a social structure and personality perspective to examine variation in self-esteem and mastery trajectories by gender and SES across the high school years. Analyses reveal that high SES adolescents experience significantly steeper gains in self-esteem and mastery compared to low SES adolescents, resulting in the reversal of SES differences in self-esteem and the emergence of significant SES differences in mastery. Pre-existing gender differences in self-esteem narrow between the 9th and 12th grade because self-esteem increases at a faster rate among girls than boys during high school. These SES and gender differences in self-concept growth are explained by changes in parent-adolescent relationship quality and stress exposure. Specifically, boys and adolescents with lower SES backgrounds experienced steeper declines in parent-adolescent relationship quality and steeper gains in chronic work strain compared to girls and low SES adolescents, respectively.

Using data collected on tenure-line faculty at a research-intensive Midwestern university, this study explored predictors of faculty job turnover intentions due to a desire for a better work-family balance. We adopted Voydanoff's theoretical framework and included demands and resources both within and spanning across the work and family domains. Results showed that work-related demands and resources were much stronger predictors of work-family turnover intentions than family-related demands or resources. Specifically, work-to-family negative spillover was positively associated with work-family turnover intentions, and two work-related resources (job satisfaction and supportive work-family culture) were negatively associated with work-family turnover intentions. On the other hand, family-related demands and resources (within the family domain or boundary-spanning from family to work) did not significantly predict work-family turnover intentions.

Using a survey of adults in Nebraska, we find that the association between church attendance and mental health varies across religious traditions and across two distinct dimensions of mental health-depressive symptoms and positive affect. Specifically, the association between church attendance and depressive symptoms differs for mainline Protestants, evangelical Protestants, and Catholics. Of these three religious traditions, only mainline Protestants report significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms when they attend church more often. Comparing across religious traditions, we find that among high attendees, evangelical Protestants report considerably more depressive symptoms than do Catholics; among low attendees, evangelicals report fewer depressive symptoms than do mainline Protestants. The results also show that church attendance is unrelated to positive affect for respondents as a whole and across the three religious traditions. We discuss how these differences in the relationship between church attendance and mental health comport with theological and social distinctions across religious traditions.