Peer Adversity as a Predictor of Interpersonal Needs in Adolescence

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

Foundational theories of human motivation implicate specific interpersonal needs, such as the need to belong (NTB; the desire to form and maintain interpersonal relationships; Baumeister & Leary, 1995) and the need for approval (NFA, the need for social acceptance; Harter, Stocker, & Robinson, 1996), as fundamental to social development and emotional well-being. According to sociometer theory (Gardner, Pickett, & Brewer, 2000), a social monitoring system (SMS) monitors social environments and regulates NTB and NFA by providing a mechanism to judge one’s current level of social acceptance. However, relatively little is known about contributors to individual differences in the calibration of the SMS as reflected in these fundamental needs. The goal of this study was to examine whether exposure to peer adversity (i.e., lifetime peer adversity and recent peer victimization) contributes to interpersonal needs by strengthening NTB and NFA and making adolescents more sensitive to threats to their needs (e.g., peer exclusion). In particular, we hypothesized that (a) exposure to lifetime adversity would predict higher NTB, higher avoidance NFA (loss of self-worth in the face of peer disapproval), and lower approach NFA (gains in self-worth in the face of peer approval); and (b) recent victimization would add to the effects of lifetime adversity, or moderate (i.e., amplify) the effects of lifetime adversity, on interpersonal needs. These hypotheses were examined in a sample of adolescent girls, given their heightened focus on peer relationships, which may increase the influence of peer adversity.
Participants included 89 adolescent girls (Mage = 15.85, SD = .89). Trained interviewers administered the Youth Life Stress Interview and an independent team of coders provided continuous ratings of peer adversity (e.g., friendlessness, rejection, victimization, conflict) across girls’ lifetime. During a separate session, girls completed self-report measures of recent victimization, NTB, NFA, and threats to belongingness, acceptance, self-esteem, and control in the context of playing Cyberball (i.e., a game of virtual ostracism).
Results revealed that lifetime adversity and recent victimization significantly predicted avoidance NFA and higher levels of threatened needs prior to Cyberball. Lifetime adversity also predicted higher levels of threatened needs 20 minutes, but not immediately, after Cyberball (Table 1), suggesting that adversity predicts difficulty recovering from threats to one’s needs. The interaction between lifetime adversity and recent victimization predicted approach NFA, such that exposure to high levels of recent victimization suppressed approach NFA regardless of exposure to lifetime adversity (Figure 1). Neither lifetime adversity nor recent victimization predicted general levels of NTB.
This research provides insight into the detrimental consequences of peer adversity for fundamental and situation-specific interpersonal needs during adolescence. Because an excessive reliance on peer acceptance and approval can increase vulnerability to low self-esteem and emotional distress, recalibration of interpersonal needs resulting from exposure to peer adversity may contribute to enhanced risk for emotional difficulties in adolescent girls. Thus, this work highlights the value of positive peer relationships and may inform efforts designed to help youth regulate healthy levels of interpersonal needs, thereby reducing risk of emotional difficulties and placing youth on a healthy developmental trajectory.

Authors

• Haley Skymba, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Presenting Author

• Cali Joyce
  Non-Presenting Author

• Eva H Telzer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karen Rudolph, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author