A developmental cascade model of adolescent peer relationships, substance use, and psychopathological symptoms from child maltreatment1This research was funded by the Institute for Justice and Well-Being with support from Binghamton University Division of Research. The current study is based on data from the Consortium of Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). The data were made available by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN), Cornell University. All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yoon, Dalhee; Yoon, Miyoung; Wang, Xiafei; Robinson-Perez, Ada A.
• Is Part Of: Child abuse & neglect. Volume 137(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Child maltreatment -- Deviant peer affiliation -- Externalizing symptoms -- Internalizing symptoms -- Peer relationship -- Substance use; Child abuse -- Periodicals; 362.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-2134

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Although previous studies have demonstrated high intercorrelations among deviant peer affiliation, substance use, externalizing and internalizing symptoms in adolescence, these studies have been limited because they did not examine 1) the associations over time by assuming one particular sequence; and 2) child maltreatment effects. Methods: This study included 617 adolescents (54.3 % girls, 55.6 % Black) at-risk of maltreatment living in the U.S and primarily low-income. Deviant peer affiliation was assessed at ages 12, 14, and 16 using 13 items from the modified version of the Youth Risk Behavior and Monitoring the Future Survey. Externalizing and internalizing symptoms were measured at ages 12, 14, and 16 using the Child Behavior Checklist. The number of substances used (ages 12, 14, 16, and 18) were created by summing the self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use. Each type of maltreatment (birth to age 12) was assessed using the self-report. Results: Autoregressive cross-lagged structural equation modeling explained the stability effects within each domain, as well as how different maltreatment types affect diverse developmental processes. Cross-lagged results showed the socialization effects of peers on substance use, whereas the peer selection effects on externalizing symptoms. Physical abuse was only associated with externalizing symptoms, while sexual abuse was associated with both externalizing and internalizing symptoms. Additionally, emotional abuse was associated with deviant peer affiliation and substance use. Conclusions: Identifying the underlying reciprocal processes offers a deeper understanding of peer relationships in the substance use and externalizing symptoms among at-risk of maltreatment sample.