Validating a Measure of Friends' Responses to Self-Disclosure in Adolescent Obese and Public School Samples.

The goal of the current study was to validate a new measure of the friendship self-disclosure process that assesses the likelihood of disclosing a negative peer experience and expectations for friends' responses to disclosure (EFRD) of this experience. Participants for Study 1 were 572 adolescents (age M = 14.82; 53% female; 66% Caucasian) from a public school sample who completed the self-disclosure survey and a measures of depressive symptoms at one time point. Participants of Study 2 comprised 180 obese adolescents (age M = 12.78; 67% female; 58% African American) from an urban children's hospital. The obese sample completed the self-disclosure survey, as well as measures of friendship quality, peer victimization, and depressive symptoms at two time points, 6 months apart. For both studies, 3 dimensions of EFRD were examined: protection, blame, and negative responses. Each EFRD dimension was replicated across 2 samples, over time, and had good interitem reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. In Study 2, high rates of expected negativity (only for boys) and blame (for boys and girls) predicted increases in depressive symptoms. In addition, victimization led to increases in depression for obese adolescents who expected little in the way of protective responses from their friends. In contrast, changes in depression were not predictable from victimization for those who expected friends to use protective responses. EFRD are clearly important mechanisms in the self-disclosure process that may serve to protect against changes in adjustment in response to negative peer experiences, such as peer victimization.

Using self- and parent-reports to test the association between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms in verbally fluent adolescents with ASD.

The current study tested the associations between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms in 54 verbally fluent adolescent males with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Adolescent- and parent-reports of multiple types of peer victimization and internalizing symptoms were used. First, the validity and reliability of the adolescent-report measure of peer victimization were successfully tested, with some exceptions. Then, structural equation models showed that adolescent-reports of peer victimization were associated with a latent construct of internalizing symptoms even after controlling for parent-reports of peer victimization. Discussion focuses on the importance of considering adolescent-reports of negative peer experience, such as peer victimization, rather than relying exclusively on parent reports.

Changes in depressive symptoms in first time mothers in home visitation.

OBJECTIVE: The expansion of Home Visitation Programs for at-risk, first-time mothers and their young children has drawn attention to the potential impact of depression on program outcomes, yet little research has examined depression in the context of home visitation. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of and changes in depressive symptoms in mothers enrolled in home visitation and identify predictors of change in symptoms over the first 9 months of service. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 806 at-risk, first-time mothers enrolled in a Home Visitation Program. Self-reported depression was measured at enrollment and again 9 months later. Established clinical cutoffs were used to identify clinically elevated levels of depression. Additional measures were taken of interpersonal trauma history, concurrent intimate partner violence, and social support. RESULTS: Results indicated that: (1) 45.3% of mothers had clinically elevated symptoms of depression at some point during the first 9 months of service, (2) 25.9% of mothers had elevated symptoms at both time points or at the 9-month assessment, and (3) 74.1% experienced an interpersonal trauma prior to enrollment. Lack of improvement or worsening of depressive symptoms from enrollment to 9 months was best predicted by pre-enrollment interpersonal trauma history, young maternal age, being African American, and symptoms severe enough to have led to mental health treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that maternal depressive symptoms are a significant problem in home visitation. The role of interpersonal trauma in depressive symptoms, and how to best address these clinical issues in home visitation, warrants further examination. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Maternal depression is prevalent in Home Visitation Programs, and many mothers exhibit elevated symptoms at multiple time points over the first year of service. Interpersonal trauma history is also prevalent, and is predictive of increased depressive symptoms over time. Home Visitation Programs should note that mothers with interpersonal trauma history, young maternal age, and being African American have an increased likelihood of persistent depressive symptoms, which may in turn pose significant challenges to providing services.