title: Supportive Romantic Relationships as Predictors of Resilience Against Early Adolescent Maternal Negativity.
abstract: Negativity in parent-child relationships during adolescence has been viewed as a risk factor for teens' future personal and interpersonal adjustment. This study examined support from romantic partners and close friends during late adolescence as protective against maternal negativity experienced during early adolescence. A combination of observational, self-report, and peer-report measures were obtained from a community sample of 97 youth (58 % female), their mothers, closest friends, and romantic partners assessed at ages 13, 18, and 20. Moderating effects suggested a protective effect of romantic support against maternal negativity across a variety of psychosocial outcomes, including depressive symptoms, self-worth, social withdrawal, and externalizing behavior. Protective effects were found even after controlling for initial levels of outcome behavior and observed support from close friends throughout adolescence. Receiving support from a romantic partner may provide teens with new, positive ways of coping with adversity and help them avoid more serious distress that may be predicted from maternal negativity when such support is not available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, James Madison University, Miller Hall, 91 E. Grace St., MSC 7704, Harrisonburg, VA, 22807, USA. szwedode@jmu.edu.|Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4400, USA. szwedode@jmu.edu.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Szwedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4400, USA.
authors.forename: Elenda T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Hessel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, P.O. Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4400, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012747:Sexual Partners; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; Externalizing behaviors; Friendships; Internalizing behaviors; Maternal negativity; Parent–child relationships; Romantic relationships