SPR Loyalty2Friends

Loyalty to friends  and confiding in adults  : Loyalty to friends and confiding in adults Developmental changes during adolescence Amy Bertelsen and Constance Flanagan The Pennsylvania State University


Popular Press : Popular Press 81 % of school shootings between 1974 and 2000 the attacker told someone about his plans – almost always a peer, sibling, or friend (Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, & Modzeleski, 2002)


Wave 3: Sample : Wave 3: Sample † 34 respondents did not provide an age.


Theoretical Framework : Theoretical Framework Loyalty Enmeshed Friendship Belief that Confiding in Adults Will Result in More Trouble Autonomy / Self-Determination Perceived Risk of Behavior Adolescent’s Willingness to Confide Concerns for a Friend to an Adult Age


Willingness to Confide in Adults(1= Very Unlikely, 5 = Very Likely) : Willingness to Confide in Adults (1= Very Unlikely, 5 = Very Likely)


Theoretical Framework : Theoretical Framework Loyalty Enmeshed Friendship Belief that Confiding in Adults Will Result in More Trouble Autonomy / Self-Determination Perceived Risk of Behavior Adolescent’s Willingness to Confide Concerns for a Friend to an Adult Age


Hypothesis One : Hypothesis One There will be an inverse association between adolescents’ age and willingness to confide in adults.


Slide10 : Adolescents’ Age Correlation confirmed negative association r = -.23, p < .000 Willingness to Confide in Adults


Hypothesis Two : Hypothesis Two Early adolescents will be more inclined than middle and late adolescents to say they would talk to an adult if their friend was doing something dangerous.


Difference between early, middle, and late adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend to an adult. : Difference between early, middle, and late adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend to an adult. Willingness to Confide in Adults could range from 1 (Very Unwilling) to 5 (Very Willing). Means with different superscripts are significantly different at the p < .05 level based on Dunnett’s C post hoc tests.


Hypothesis Three : Hypothesis Three There will be an association for early adolescents between loyal friendships and confiding in adults but no such association for middle and late adolescents.


Loyalty Construct : Loyalty Construct Example Items My friends can count on me to keep a secret. I stick up for my friends when somebody says something mean about them. Cronbach’s Alpha = .89


Comparison of loyal v. not loyal adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend in an adult : Comparison of loyal v. not loyal adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend in an adult


Hypothesis Four : Hypothesis Four Regardless of age, an adolescent who is enmeshed in and overly reliant on his/her friends will be less likely to confide in an adult.


Enmeshed Construct : Enmeshed Construct Example Items I would lie to keep my friend out of trouble. If a friend tells you a secret, you should never tell anyone else, even if it is dangerous. Cronbach’s Alpha = .56


Comparison of enmeshed v. not enmeshed adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend in an adult : Comparison of enmeshed v. not enmeshed adolescents’ willingness to confide concerns for a friend in an adult


Hypothesis Five : Hypothesis Five Regardless of age, willingness to confide in an adult will be negatively correlated with the belief that doing so will get the adolescent or his/her friend into more trouble.


Belief that Confiding Results in More Trouble Construct : Belief that Confiding Results in More Trouble Construct Example Items Drug, Tobacco, Alcohol Vignettes: - Don’t say anything because your friend might get in trouble. - Don’t say anything because you might get in trouble. If a friend is doing something dangerous, telling a parent will only get you or them into more trouble. Cronbach’s Alpha = .82


Slide21 : Belief that Confiding will Result in More Trouble Willingness to Confide in Adults Correlation confirmed negative association for all three age groups Early Adolescents: r = -.49, p = .000 Middle Adolescents: r = -.42, p = .000 Late Adolescents: r = -.37, p = .000


Summary of Findings : Summary of Findings Loyalty β = .144 Enmeshed Friendship β = -.186 Belief Confiding in Will Result in More Trouble β = -.335 Adolescent’s Willingness to Confide Concerns for a Friend to an Adult Autonomy / Self-Determination Perceived Risk of Behavior Age β = -.189 (-) (-) (+) (-) R2 = .28


Implications : Implications Prepare older adolescents with the skills to intervene on their own. Loyalty may not manifest in going to adults. Enmeshed teens might feel marginalized. Create a climate where young people feel they won’t (and don’t) get into trouble for seeking the help of an adult.


Slide24 : The Social Responsibility and Prevention Project The Pennsylvania State University Principal Investigators: Constance Flanagan, Ph.D. Les Gallay, Ph.D. Website: www.pop.psu.edu\socresp


Future Research : Future Research Additional variables Autonomy, Perceived danger of behavior, Belief that harm will actually happen, Parent-child relationship and communication, social responsibility Homogeneity of the friendship network Loyalty and other forms of intervention


Friendship: The Anti-Drug? : Friendship: The Anti-Drug? Lake Video


Theoretical Framework : Theoretical Framework Loyalty Enmeshed Friendship Belief that Confiding in Adults Will Result in More Trouble Autonomy / Self-Determination Perceived Risk of Behavior Adolescent’s Willingness to Confide Concerns for a Friend to an Adult Age


Conclusion : Conclusion Loyalty Early Adolescents: r = .24, p = .000 Middle Adolescents: r = .16, p = .000 Late Adolescents: r = .09, p = .031 Enmeshed Friendship Early Adolescents: r = -.32, p = .000 Middle Adolescents: r = -.34, p = .000 Late Adolescents: r = -.33, p = .000 Belief Confiding in Will Result in More Trouble Early Adolescents: r = -.49, p = .000 Middle Adolescents: r = -.42, p = .000 Late Adolescents: r = -.37, p = .000 Adolescent’s Willingness to Confide Concerns for a Friend to an Adult Autonomy / Self-Determination Perceived Risk of Behavior Age Adolescents 11-19 years old: r = -.23, p = .000 (-) (-) (+) (-)