Links between friendship relations and early adolescents’ trajectories of depressed mood.

Abstract

The present study examined to what extent different types of friendship experiences (i.e., friendlessness, having depressed friends, and having nondepressed friends) are associated with early adolescents' longitudinal trajectories of depressed mood. On the basis of a sample of 201 youths (108 girls, 93 boys), we identified 3 distinct longitudinal profiles of depressed mood from Grade 5 (age 11) through Grade 7 (age 13): one group with consistently low levels of depressed mood, another group showing a sharp increase in depressed mood from late childhood through early adolescence, and a 3rd group with consistently high levels of depressed mood from late childhood through early adolescence. Subsequent analyses revealed that, compared to friendless youths, youths with nondepressed friends showed less elevated trajectories of depressed mood, whereas youths with depressed friends showed more elevated trajectories. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Friendship Experiences and Anxiety Among Children: A Genetically Informed Study

“…This result is in line with findings by Schwartz-Mette and Rose (2012), who found that, at least among girls, friends' anxiety was related to increased anxiety. Our findings are also in line with studies showing contagion of depression symptoms among friends (Brendgen et al, 2010;Prinstein, 2007;Stevens & Prinstein, 2005). Moreover, our results indicated that children with anxious friends were as likely as friendless youth to present anxiety symptoms.…”

“…Therefore, having anxious friends seems to constitute at least as great a risk for the development of anxiety symptoms as having no reciprocal friends. Brendgen et al (2010) also came to the same conclusion in regard to depressive symptoms in a (nongenetically informative) singleton sample. Therefore, friends who suffer from internalizing problems such as anxiety or depressive symptoms not only seem unable to protect youth from internalizing symptoms but instead might contribute even further to the development of these negative emotions.…”

“…However, recent studies suggest that the mitigating effects of friendship relations on the development of internalizing problems may vary depending on friends' characteristics. For instance, having depressed friends has been associated with an increased risk of presenting the same emotional difficulties (Brendgen, Lamarche, Wanner, & Vitaro, 2010;Prinstein, 2007;Schwartz-Mette & Rose, 2012;Stevens & Prinstein, 2005). Furthermore, although youth with nondepressed friends show less elevated trajectories of depressed mood than friendless youth, youth with depressed friends show more elevated trajectories (Brendgen et al, 2010).…”

“…This procedure ensured that children who had reciprocal friends but who did not have a reciprocal best friend would not be considered friendless or excluded from the analyses. This approach also has the advantage of providing a more inclusive assessment of the anxiety characteristics of children's friendships (Brendgen et al, 2010). These analyses were performed using Multinomial Logistic Regression with the MPlus software Version 6.11 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998, with friendship experiences as the categorical dependent variable and ''anxious friends'' as the reference group.…”

Developmental Demands of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Children and Adolescents: Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Processes

“…The quality of children’s relationships partially depends on their ability to take the perspective of others including peers, friends, teachers, coaches, siblings, parents (Bosacki & Astington 1999; Selman 1981). If the ability to understand others is critical for social functioning (Flavell & Botkin 1968; Grave & Blissett 2004), and if social impairment contributes to the onset and/or maintenance of depressive symptoms (e.g., Brendgen, Lamarche, Wanner, & Vitaro 2010), then improving children’s social perspective taking ability may facilitate positive treatment outcomes.…”