Etkin Rebecca G, Bowker Julie C
Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 350 George St., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.
J Youth Adolesc. 2023 Apr;52(4):780-793. doi: 10.1007/s10964-023-01741-6. Epub 2023 Feb 14.
As friends increase in closeness and influence during adolescence, some friends may become overprotective, or excessively and intrusively protective. Engaging in overprotective behavior, and being the recipient of such behavior, may have positive and negative adjustment trade-offs. The current study examines, for the first time, bidirectional associations between friend overprotection and several adjustment trade-offs, including internalizing problems (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms), peer difficulties (i.e., rejection and physical and relational victimization), and positive friendship quality (i.e., closeness, help, and security) during early adolescence. Participants were 269 young adolescents (140 boys; M = 11.46, SD = 0.41) who completed self-report and peer nomination measures in their schools at two time points 4 months apart (Fall and Spring of the school year). Structural equation models revealed that being overprotected by a friend predicted decreases in friendship quality and was predicted by peer difficulties and internalizing problems (negatively). Being overprotective of friends predicted increases in internalizing symptoms and was predicted by peer difficulties. Findings are novel as they suggest that friend overprotection may be risky (and not beneficial) for both the overprotector and the overprotectee, setting the stage for future inquiry in this new area of peer relations research.
在青春期，随着朋友间亲密程度和影响力的增加，一些朋友可能会变得过度保护，即过度且侵扰性地保护。实施过度保护行为以及成为这种行为的接受者，可能会在积极和消极的适应方面产生权衡。本研究首次考察了朋友过度保护与几种适应权衡之间的双向关联，这些权衡包括内化问题（即抑郁和焦虑症状）、同伴关系困难（即被拒绝以及身体和关系方面的受侵害），以及青春期早期的积极友谊质量（即亲密感、帮助和安全感）。研究参与者为269名青少年（140名男孩；M = 11.46，SD = 0.41），他们在学校相隔4个月的两个时间点（学年的秋季和春季）完成了自我报告和同伴提名测量。结构方程模型显示，被朋友过度保护预示着友谊质量下降，且受到同伴关系困难和内化问题的负向预测。过度保护朋友预示着内化症状增加，且受到同伴关系困难的预测。研究结果具有创新性，因为它们表明朋友过度保护对过度保护者和被过度保护者可能都有风险（且无益处），为这一同伴关系研究新领域的未来探究奠定了基础。
