Rebecca C. Windle Michael Windle Presented at the 2005 SRCD Biennial Meeting, April 7-10, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia

Transcription

1 The Influence of Adolescent Stressful Life Events and Family and Friend Relationships on Young Adult Alcohol Problems and Depressive Symptoms Rebecca C. Windle Michael Windle Presented at the 2005 SRCD Biennial Meeting, April 7-10, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia 1

2 This research was supported by a grant (R37-AA07861) awarded to Michael Windle from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 2

3 Recent studies have begun to investigate the long-term impact of childhood and adolescent social support and stressors on young adult functioning. These studies have found the strength of these associations to be stronger during early adolescence and to weaken across time, although they remain significant from adolescence into young adulthood. 3

4 With a few exceptions, limitations of the current studies include: A focus on quality of family support or quality of friendships or stressful life events, but no investigation of simultaneous effects on outcomes. No testing for stress-buffering and stress-enhancing effects of social support on the stress psychopathology relationship.

5 Analyses have not been conducted separately for males and females and thus gender differences in the patterns of associations have not been investigated. Few of these studies have been truly prospective. 5

6 Study Goals Using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, this prospective study focused on the simultaneous influences of adolescent family emotional support, quality of friendships, and major stressful life events on young adult depressive symptoms and alcohol problems.

7 Study Goals Interactions were included in the statistical models to test stressbuffering and stress-enhancing effects of parent emotional support and quality of friendships. Analyses were conducted separately for males and females. 7

8 Methods and Demographic Information, Waves 1 4 Paper-and-pencil questionnaire data were gathered in high school classrooms. Four waves of data were collected, with six month intervals between measurement occasions. The first wave of data collection occurred in the fall semester when participants were sophomores and juniors. 8

9 Across the four waves of data collection, 1205 adolescents participated at least one time. Subject retention was high. Across the four measurement occasions, 90% of adolescents participated at three (22.6%) or four (66.85%) waves of measurement. 9

10 At Wave 1, the mean age of participants was years (SD=0.70). 50% of the sample was female The sample was predominantly white (98.8%), middle- to upper-middle income, and > 85% were in two-parent families. 10

11 Methods and Demographic Information, Wave 5 At Wave 5, data were collected via faceto-face interviews and paper-and-pencil questionnaires. 829 young adults participated at Wave 5. This represented a participation rate of 69% of the original adolescent sample. 11

12 The mean age of participants was years (SD=1.33). 55.9% of the sample was female. 65.6% were single/never married, 19.2% were married, 13.8% were cohabiting, and 1.4% were divorced. 85.7% of the sample had no children The average number of years between Waves 4 and 5 was 6.87 years (SD=1.10). 12

13 Adolescent and Young Adult Variables 13 Alcohol Problems occurring in the last 6 months (e.g., passed out from drinking) 20 Depressive Symptoms occurring in the last week (CES-D) 29 Major Stressful Life Events occurring in the last 6 months 13

14 20 items measuring perceived emotional support from family (e.g., I rely on my family for emotional support). 7 items measuring covert and overt hostility involving a friend (e.g., My close friend talked about me behind my back; I lied to my close friend about something important). 14

15 4 items measuring self-disclosure with a friend (e.g., My close friend talked to me about a personal problem in his/her life). Percentage of friends using illicit drugs 15

16 Results One-way ANOVAs were used to compare male and female adolescents on the predictor variables. Females reported significantly higher levels of stressful life events and self-disclosure in friendships. Males and females did not differ on levels of overt and covert hostility in friendships, percent of friends using illicit drugs, or family emotional support. 16

17 Results: Main Effects After controlling for alcohol problems in adolescence, adolescent stressful life events predicted increases in young adult alcohol problems for both males and females. Higher levels of overt and covert hostility in adolescent friendships predicted increases in young adult alcohol problems for females only. 17

18 Results: Main Effects After controlling for adolescent depressive symptoms, adolescent stressful life events predicted increases in young adult depressive symptoms for females only. Higher levels of overt and covert hostility in friendships predicted increases in young adult depressive symptoms for both males and females. 18

19 Results: Main Effects Higher levels of self-disclosure in friendships predicted decreases in depressive symptoms for both males and females. 19

20 Results: Interaction Effects Within the full regression models, significant interaction effects were found only for females. The data presented in Figures 1 4 indicated that interpersonal relationships moderated the association between stressful life events and psychopathology for females. 20

21 21 Results: Interaction Effects Higher levels of family emotional support in adolescence tended to buffer (or reduce) the effects of adolescent stressors on young adult functioning. Conversely, higher levels of drug-using friends in adolescence tended to enhance (or increase) the effects of adolescent stressors on young adult functioning.

22 22 Summary and Conclusions The regression coefficients indicated significant but quite modest relationships between the adolescent predictors and young adult outcomes. In addition, after controlling for the effects of adolescent variables on the young adult outcomes, only minor amounts of variance were accounted for. Future research is needed to identify other adolescent (distal) and young adult (proximal) factors that impact young adult functioning.

23 Summary and Conclusions The patterns of association between the adolescent predictors and young adult outcomes differed somewhat for males and females. This was especially the case for our findings on the stress-buffering and stressenhancing effects of family emotional support and the percent of friends using illicit drugs. 23

24 Summary and Conclusions The significant interactions found in the current study support the suggestion (e.g., Ystgaard, 1997) that females, relative to males, are more oriented toward and have a greater emotional investment in their interpersonal relationships with others. 24

25 Summary and Conclusions That is, when faced with high levels of stressful life events, the potentially positive (e.g., higher levels of family emotional support) and potentially negative (e.g., a higher density of friends using illicit drugs) qualities of females support systems appear to moderate the effects of stressors on their psychological and behavioral well-being. 25

26 26 Bibliography of Relevant Readings Aseltine, R.H., Jr., & Gore, S.L. (2000). The variable effects of stress on alcohol use from adolescence to early adulthood. Substance Use and Misuse, 35, Dishion, T.J., & Owen, L.D. (2002). A longitudinal analysis of friendships and substance use: Bidirectional influence from adolescence to adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 38, Kaplan, H.B., & Damphousse, K.R. (1997). Reciprocal relationships between life events and psychological distress. Stress Medicine, 13, Kim, K.J., Conger, R.D., Elder, G.H., Jr., & Lorenz, F.O. (2003). Reciprocal influences between stressful life events and adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. Child Development, 74, Pine, D.S., Cohen, P., Johnson, J.G., & Brook, J.S. (2002). Adolescent life events as predictors of adult depression. Journal of Affective Disorders,68, Reinherz, H.Z., Paradis, A.D., Giaconia, R.M., Stashwick, C.K., & Fitzmaurice, G. (2003). Childhood and adolescent predictors of major depression in the transition to adulthood. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160,

27 Wills, T.A., & Cleary, S.D. (1996). How are social support effects mediated? A test with parental support and adolescent substance use. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, Wills, T.A., & Filer, M. (1996). Stress coping model of adolescent substance use. In T.H. Ollendick & R.J. Prinz (Eds.), Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 18, pp ). New York: Plenum Press. Wills, T.A., Resko, J.A., Ainette, M.G., & Mendoza, D. (2004). Role of parent support and peer support in adolescent substance use: A test of mediated effects. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 18, Windle, M. (1992). A longitudinal study of stress buffering for adolescent problem behaviors. Developmental Psychology, 28, Windle, M. (1994). A study of friendship characteristics and problem behaviors among middle adolescents. Child Development, 65, Windle, M., & Windle, R.C. (1996). Coping strategies, drinking motives, and stressful life events among middle adolescents: Associations with emotional and behavioral problems and with academic functioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, Ystgaard, M. (1997). Life stress, social support and psychological distress in late adolescence. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 32,

28 Figure 1 Adolescent Females Stressful Life Events Young Adult Females Alcohol Problems Low Moderate High Low Moderate High Adolescent Females Percent of Drug-Using Friends

29 Young Adult Females Alcohol Problems Figure 2 Adolescent Females Stressful Life Events Low Moderate High Low Moderate High Adolescent Females Family Emotional Support

30 Figure 3 Adolescent Females Stressful Life Events Low Moderate High Young Adult Females Depressive Symptoms Low Moderate High Adolescent Females Percent of Drug-Using Friends

31 Figure 4 Adolescent Females Stressful Life Events Low Moderate High Young Adult Females Depressive Symptoms Low Moderate High Adolescent Females Family Emotional Support

32 TABLE 1 ADOLESCENT STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS AND FAMILY AND FRIEND RELATIONSHIPS PREDICTING YOUNG ADULT ALCOHOL PROBLEMS Time 5 Young Adult Alcohol Problems Time 1-Time 4 Adolescent Predictors Males Females Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Alcohol Problems.39 c.31 c.32 c.29 c.15 a.15 b Number of Stressful Life Events in the Past 6 Months Overt and Covert Hostility in Friendships a.15 a b.17 b b.14 b Self-Disclosure in Friendships a -.10 Percent of Friends Using Illicit Drugs Family Emotional Support Overt and Covert Hostility in Friendships x Stressful Life Events Self-Disclosure in Friendships x Stressful Life Events Percent of Friends Using Illicit Drugs x Stressful Life Events Family Emotional Support x Stressful Life Events b a F Statistic (df) 56.65(1,327) c 10.66(6,322) c 6.81(10,319) c 39.40(1,436) c 10.77(6,431) c 8.26(10,427) c % Variance Accounted For 14.5 % 15.0% 15.0% 8.1% 11.8% 14.3% Note: Standardized beta coefficients from the regression analyses are presented. ap <.05; b p <.01; c p <.001

33 TABLE 2 ADOLESCENT STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS AND FAMILY AND FRIEND RELATIONSHIPS PREDICTING YOUNG ADULT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS Time 5 Young Adult Depressive Symptoms Time1-Time 4 Adolescent Predictors Males Females Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Depressive Symptoms.41 c.43 c.44 c.50 c.38 c.39 c Number of Stressful Life Events in the Past 6 Months Overt and Covert Hostility in Friendships b.16 b.14 a.14 a a.10 a Self-Disclosure in Friendships a -.17 b b -.11 a Percent of Friends Using Illicit Drugs a Family Emotional Support Overt and Covert Hostility in Friendships x Stressful Life Events Self-Disclosure in Friendships x Stressful Life Events Percent of Friends Using Illicit Drugs x Stressful Life Events Family Emotional Support x Stressful Life Events a b F Statistic (df) 68.06(1,329) c 13.09(6,324) c 8.07(10,321) c (1,435) c 29.13(6,430) c 19.72(10,426) c % Variance Accounted For 16.9% 18.0% 17.6% 24.4% 27.9% 30.0% Note: Standardized beta coefficients from the regression analyses are presented. ap <.05; b p <.01; c p <.001