ERIC Number: EJ802449
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jul
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
The Mediational Role of Adolescents' Friends in Relations between Activity Breadth and Adjustment
Simpkins, Sandra D.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.; Becnel, Jennifer N.
Developmental Psychology, v44 n4 p1081-1094 Jul 2008
This investigation addresses the mediational role of friends' characteristics between adolescents' activity breadth (i.e., variety in activity participation) and their later adjustment. Data were drawn from 2 longitudinal studies: the Childhood and Beyond (CAB; N = 925) study and the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study (MADICS; N = 1,338). Adolescents at Time 2 in each study (8th, 9th, and 11th graders in CAB and 8th graders in MADICS) reported on the breadth of their participation across 5 activity settings: sports, religious, volunteering, community, and school. Friends' characteristics and adolescent adjustment were reported by adolescents at Times 1 and 3. Friends' positive characteristics significantly mediated relations between activity breadth and adolescent depressive affect, self-worth, alcohol use, and problem behavior in both studies. Friends' negative characteristics significantly mediated these relations in CAB, but not in MADICS. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables, and 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Adolescents, Adolescent Development, Friendship, Individual Characteristics, Longitudinal Studies, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade 11, Peer Mediation, Role, Drinking, Self Esteem, After School Programs, Participation, Adjustment (to Environment)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A