title: Preference-for-solitude and adjustment difficulties in early and late adolescence.
abstract: Social withdrawal has been associated with adjustment difficulties across development. Although much is known about shyness, little is known about preference-for-solitude; even less is known about its relations with adjustment across different periods of adolescence. We examined whether preference-for-solitude might be differentially associated with adjustment difficulties in early and late adolescence. Self- and parent-reports of withdrawal motivations and adjustment were collected from 234 eighth graders (113 boys; M age = 13.43) and 204 twelfth graders (91 boys; M age = 17.25). Results from structural equation modeling demonstrated that above and beyond the effects of shyness, preference-for-solitude was more strongly associated with adjustment difficulties in 8th grade than in 12th grade. Preference-for-solitude was associated with greater anxiety/depression, emotion dysregulation, and lower self-esteem in 8th grade; these relations were not found in 12th grade. Although preference-for-solitude was associated with lower social competence in both 8th and 12th grades, this relation was significantly stronger in 8th grade than in 12th grade. Findings suggest preference-for-solitude has closer ties to maladjustment in early adolescence than in late adolescence. Interventions targeting preferred-solitary youth in early adolescence may be particularly fruitful.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology , University of Maryland.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kenneth H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laursen
authors.forename: Cathryn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Booth-LaForce
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rose-Krasnor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000342:Affective Symptoms; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012792:Shyness; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires