This study examined multiple levels of adolescents' interpersonal functioning, including general peer relations (peer crowd affiliations, peer victimization), and qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships as predictors of symptoms of depression and social anxiety. An ethnically diverse sample of 421 adolescents (57% girls; 14 to 19 years) completed measures of peer crowd affiliation, peer victimization, and qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships. Peer crowd affiliations (high and low status), positive qualities in best friendships, and the presence of a dating relationship protected adolescents against feelings of social anxiety, whereas relational victimization and negative interactions in best friendships predicted high social anxiety. In contrast, affiliation with a high-status peer crowd afforded some protection against depressive affect; however, relational victimization and negative qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships predicted depressive symptoms. Some moderating effects for ethnicity were observed. Findings indicate that multiple aspects of adolescents' social relations uniquely contribute to feelings of internal distress. Implications for research and preventive interventions are discussed.

Adolescent peer relations, friendships, and romantic relationships: do they predict social anxiety and depression?

The 1st goal of this study was to investigate how online communication is related to the closeness of existing friendships. Drawing from a sample of 794 preadolescents and adolescents, the authors found that online communication was positively related to the closeness of friendships. However, this effect held only for respondents who primarily communicated online with existing friends and not for those who mainly talked with strangers. The 2nd goal was to refine 2 opposing hypotheses, the rich-get-richer and the social compensation hypotheses. Consistent with the rich-get-richer hypothesis, socially anxious respondents communicated online less often than did nonsocially anxious respondents. However, socially anxious respondents perceived the Internet as more valuable for intimate self-disclosure than did nonsocially anxious respondents, and this perception in turn led to more online communication. This result is consistent with the social compensation hypothesis. Online communication and closeness to friends increased with age. There was a curvilinear relationship between age and perceived value of the Internet for intimate self-disclosure, such that 15-year-olds were at the epitome of online self-disclosure. Girls were closer to friends and more socially anxious than were boys.

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Preadolescents' and adolescents' online communication and their closeness to friends

Brady and Kendall (1992) concluded that although anxiety and depression in youths are meaningfully linked, there are important distinctions, and additional research is needed. Since then, studies of anxiety-depression comorbidity in youths have increased exponentially. Following a discussion of comorbidity, we review existing conceptual models and propose a multiple pathways model to anxiety-depression comorbidity. Pathway 1 describes youths with a diathesis for anxiety, with subsequent comorbid depression resulting from anxiety-related impairment. Pathway 2 refers to youths with a shared diathesis for anxiety and depression, who may experience both disorders simultaneously. Pathway 3 describes youths with a diathesis for depression, with subsequent comorbid anxiety resulting from depression-related impairment. Additionally, shared and stratified risk factors contribute to the development of the comorbid disorder, either by interacting with disorder-related impairment or by predicting the simultaneous development of the disorders. Our review addresses descriptive and developmental factors, gender differences, suicidality, assessments, and treatment-outcome research as they relate to comorbid anxiety and depression and to our proposed pathways. Research since 1992 indicates that comorbidity varies depending on the specific anxiety disorder, with Pathway 1 describing youths with either social phobia or separation anxiety disorder and subsequent depression, Pathway 2 applying to youths with coprimary generalized anxiety disorder and depression, and Pathway 3 including depressed youths with subsequent social phobia. The need to test the proposed multiple pathways model and to examine (a) developmental change and (b) specific anxiety disorders is highlighted.

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Comorbidity of Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents: 20 Years After

Little is known about the influence of electronic media use on the academic and social lives of university students. Using time-diary and survey data, we explore the use of various types of electronic media among first-year students. Time-diary results suggest that the majority of students use electronic media to multitask. Robust regression results indicate a negative relationship between the use of various types of electronic media and first-semester grades. In addition, we find a positive association between social-networking-site use, cellular-phone communication, and face-to-face social interaction.

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The Wired Generation: Academic and Social Outcomes of Electronic Media Use Among University Students

We provide an overview of where the field currently stands when it comes to having evidence-based methods and instruments available for use in assessing anxiety and its disorders in children and adolescents. Methods covered include diagnostic interview schedules, rating scales, observations, and self-monitoring forms. We also discuss the main purposes or goals of assessment and indicate which methods and instruments have the most evidence for accomplishing these goals. We also focus on several specific issues that need continued research attention for the field to move forward toward an evidence-based assessment approach. Finally, tentative recommendations are made for conducting an evidence-based assessment for anxiety and its disorders in children and adolescents. Directions for future research also are discussed.

Evidence-Based Assessment of Anxiety and Its Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Replicates and extends prior work with the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) by providing psychometric data, further evidence of construct validity, and large-sample based normative data. Participants were 2,937 students (1,431 boys and 1,506 girls) in Grades 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11. Students completed the SAS-A, the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Results replicated a three-factor structure for the SAS-A, with good internal consistencies for its subscales. Normative data were subdivided by sex and grade group. Construct validity included replication of prior relations with general anxiety (RCMAS) and depressive symptomatology (CDI). Implications of these results for further use and norming of the SAS-A are discussed.

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Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: Normative Data and Further Evidence of Construct Validity

Subjective versus objective behavioral ratings following two analogue tasks: a comparison of socially phobic and non-anxious adolescents.

The role of religious behaviour in adolescent depressive and anxious symptomatology.

Social anxiety disorder and social anxiety are highly prevalent psychological conditions in youth. Because of the known risks associated with the spectrum of social anxiety in youth, early detection with valid and reliable assessment measures is imperative. Self-report measures have become the most widely used method of assessment for child and adolescent social anxiety. Because research to date on self-report measures of social anxiety disorder in adolescents is limited, the primary objective of the present study was to contribute to the literature by examining the validity and reliability of a new self-report measure, the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), in a community sample of adolescents. The SPIN is a 17-item measure purported to assess the full spectrum of social anxiety disorder symptomatology. Previously, psychometric research on the SPIN in adult populations has demonstrated its validity and reliability. In the current psychometric examination, results revealed strong support for the temporal stability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the SPIN, suggesting it is an appropriate screening measure for the assessment of social anxiety disorder in adolescents.

Heidi M. Inderbitzen-Nolan

Papers

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: Normative Data and Further Evidence of Construct Validity

Subjective versus objective behavioral ratings following two analogue tasks: a comparison of socially phobic and non-anxious adolescents.

The role of religious behaviour in adolescent depressive and anxious symptomatology.

The Social Phobia Inventory: validity and reliability in an adolescent community sample.

Investigating the construct validity of the SPAI-C: comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the SPAI-C and the SAS-A.