Autonomy and relatedness in early adolescent friendships as predictors of short‐ and long‐term academic success

Abstract

This study examined early adolescent autonomy and relatedness during disagreements with friends as key social competencies likely to predict academic achievement during the transition to high school and academic attainment into early adulthood. A sample of 184 adolescents was followed through age 29 to assess predictions to academic success from observed autonomy and relatedness during a disagreement task with a close friend. Observed autonomy and relatedness at age 13 predicted relative increases in grade point average (GPA) from 13 to 15, and greater academic attainment by age 29, after accounting for baseline GPA. Findings remained after accounting for peer acceptance, social competence, scholastic competence, externalizing and depressive symptoms, suggesting a key role for autonomy, and relatedness during disagreements in helping adolescents navigate challenges in the transition to high school and beyond.

When friendships surpass parental relationships as predictors of long‐term outcomes: Adolescent relationship qualities and adult psychosocial functioning

“…Nonetheless, the finding that these predictions existed at all suggests that perhaps some of the skills needed to maintain close friendships—loyalty, trustworthiness, collegiality—may also set adolescents up for future success in the workplace. Alternatively, it may be that academic attainment, which has been previously found to be predictable from adolescent–peer interactions, may partly mediate this modest link to work performance (Loeb, Davis, et al, 2020).…”

“…In support of friends’ capacities to evaluate one another there is a long history of peer ratings being sensitive to developmental competencies in ways that surpass adult ratings (Cowen et al, 1973). To date, research has found that adolescent friendship qualities can predict self‐worth, anxiety, and depressive symptoms into late adolescence, and romantic life satisfaction later in adulthood (Allen et al, 2020; Loeb, Davis, et al, 2020; Narr et al, 2019). Friendship qualities have not, however, been examined with regard to the prediction of other long ‐ term functional outcomes, nor have they been examined in terms of whether they add anything over and above predictions from parent–adolescent relationship qualities.…”

Long-Term Effects of Acceptance and Rejection by Parents and Peers on Educational Attainment: A Study from Pre-Adolescence to Early Adulthood

“…Exceptions show evidence for the existence of long-term effects. Pre-adolescents who were accepted by peers reached higher levels of education in early adulthood (Loeb et al, 2020 ). Pre-adolescents who were rejected by peers showed decreases in academic development, lower educational attainment, lower job competence, and more unemployment in (early) adulthood (Gest et al, 2006 ; Véronneau et al, 2010 ).…”

Los factores estructurales e intervinientes de la socialización digital juvenil. Una aproximación mediante el método Delphi

“…Evidentemente, estos aspectos son importantes para cualquier proceso de socialización juvenil, pero quizás lo sean aún más en el caso de la comunicación digital, frecuentemente caracterizada por una abundancia de "relaciones líquidas", que no necesariamente implican vínculos profundos y/o significativos. Investigaciones recientes muestran la influencia positiva de los vínculos fuertes en la adolescencia y juventud en aspectos como el rendimiento académico (Loeb et al, 2020), adicción a sustancias (Allen et al, 2020a) o amortiguar la marginación social (Allen et al, 2020b). Así, apreciamos, una vez más, los diagnósticos clásicos de Bauman (2003) y trabajos afines (Donzelot et al, 2007) sobre el riesgo de fragilización de los vínculos sociales en la sociedad actual.…”