title: Adolescents' and Best Friend's Depressive Symptoms and Conflict Management: Intraindividual and Interpersonal Processes Over Time.
abstract: This 6-year longitudinal study examined the relation between 3 conflict management styles (i.e., problem solving, conflict engagement, and compliance) and depressive symptoms in adolescent-best friend relationships. Participants were 479 Dutch adolescents and their best friend who reported annually on depressive symptoms and conflict management styles toward each other. Bidirectional effects between conflict management styles and depressive symptoms were studied both within adolescents (intraindividual) and between adolescent best friends (interpersonal). A positive interpersonal effect of depressive symptoms of one dyad member on depressive symptoms of the other member was found. Similarly, higher positive problem solving and conflict engagement of one dyad member predicted respectively higher problem solving and conflict engagement of the other dyad member. Adolescents who reported more depressive symptoms reported more conflict engagement and compliance over time. In addition, for boys, higher levels of depressive symptoms of one dyad member were related to more problem solving by the other member over time. The current study contributed to the literature by showing that depressive symptoms and conflict management are related constructs in adolescents and that both intrapersonal and interpersonal processes contribute to this relation.
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre Adolescent Development , Utrecht University.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4448-4812
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boersma-van Dam
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre Adolescent Development , Utrecht University.
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.affiliation: b Department of Developmental Psychology , VU University.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koot
authors.affiliation: c Research Centre Adolescent Development , Utrecht University and Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meeus
authors.affiliation: a Research Centre Adolescent Development , Utrecht University.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Branje
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000379:methods*