Abstract
Interpersonal theories have suggested that depressive symptoms influence and are influenced by peer relationships, but little is known about how depressive symptoms-peer relationships associations change with age. This study examined the longitudinal associations between both group- and dyadic-level peer relationships and depressive symptoms in a community sample of Chinese youth (n = 2179; 47.9% girls) from grades 6 to 9. Results demonstrated correlations between stable trait-like components of peer acceptance/rejection and depressive symptoms, with no dynamic state-like associations being observed. The results also suggested that conflict with friends operated as a consistent interpersonal risk for subsequent depressive symptoms across late childhood to middle adolescence. Support from friends was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms in early adolescence, but influenced and was influenced by depressive symptoms in middle adolescence. This study highlights that depressive symptoms are associated with youth’s peer social status and friendship in different ways and that the interactions between friendship and depressive symptoms get strengthened with the transition to adolescence.
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Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge all participating schools, principals, teachers and adolescents for their contribution, as well as those who have assisted in designing the study and collecting the data.
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This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31671156), National Social Science Foundation of China (16CSH053) and the Major Projects of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research, Ministry of Education (17JZD058).
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Y.Y. conceived of the study and participated in the interpretation of the data, performed the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript; L.C. conceived of the study, participated in the interpretation of the data and drafted the manuscript; L.Z. helped to performed the statistical analysis; L.J. participated in the design and help to draft the manuscript; W.Z. conceived of the study, participated in the design and coordination and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Yang, Y., Chen, L., Zhang, L. et al. Developmental changes in associations between depressive symptoms and peer relationships: a four-year follow-up of Chinese adolescents. J Youth Adolescence 49, 1913–1927 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01236-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01236-8