Research at TRI
ADOLESCENT STUDIES
Academics
Sanders,
C., Field, T, & Diego, M. (2001) Adolescents’ academic expectations and
achievements. Adolescence, 36,
795-802.
•
High school seniors from middle to upper socioeconomic status families completed
questionnaires on behavioral and psychological aspects of adolescent life.
Academic expectations were found to be highly correlated with academic
achievement.
Break-up
Distress
Field,
T., Diego, M. & Sanders, C. (2001). Adolescent depression and risk factors. Adolescence, 36,
492-498.
• A
sample of 192 university students who had experienced a recent breakup of a
romantic relationship was divided into high versus low score groups based on the
Breakup Distress Scale. Females had higher Breakup Distress Scale scores. The
group who had high Breakup Distress Scale scores reported having less time since
the breakup occurred, did not initiate the breakup, reported that the breakup
was sudden and unexpected, felt rejected and betrayed, and had not yet found a
new relationship.
Depression
Field,
T., Diego, M. & Sanders, C. (2001). Adolescent depression and risk factors. Adolescence, 36,
492-498.
•
High school seniors from a suburban private high school were administered a
comprehensive questionnaire to determine differences between adolescents who
rated the quality of their parent and peer relationships as high or low.
Adolescents with high parent and high peer relationship scores had more friends,
greater family togetherness, lower levels of depression and drug use, and higher
grade point average.
Lasko,
D., Field, T., Gonzalez, K.P., Harding, J., Yando, R., & Bendell, D. (1996).
Adolescent depressed mood & parental unhappiness. Adolescence, 31, 49-57.
•
A set of self-report scales on depression, parental happiness, intimate
relationships, social support, self-esteem, and risk-taking behavior were
administered to adolescents to determine the relationship between depression and
these other variables. Adolescents with depressed mood were found to be less
intimate with both parents, felt less social support, and had lower self-esteem
than their peers. Adolescents who perceived their mother or father as unhappy
also reported less intimacy with both parents and less social
support.
Divorce
Gonzalez,
K., Field, T., Lasko, D., Harding, J., Yando, R., & Bendell, D. (1995).
Adolescents from divorced and intact families. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 23,
165-175.
•
Adolescents were given a set of scales on relationships (intimacy with parents
and peers, social support, family responsibility-taking) and psychological
variables (happiness, self-esteem, depression and risk-taking) to determine the
effects of divorce on these variables. The adolescents from divorced families
differed very little from those of intact families. As might be expected the
adolescents from divorced parents perceived less intimacy with their father as
well as less social support, and they assumed more family
responsibilities.
Drug
Use
Field,
T., Scafidi, F., Pickens, J., Prodromidis, M., Pelaez-Nogueras, M., Torquati,
J., Wilcox, H., Malphurs, J., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1998).
Polydrug-using adolescent mothers and their infants receiving early
intervention. Adolescence, 33, 117-143.
•
This study investigated the effects of an intervention for polydrug-using
adolescent mothers. The drug rehab mothers improved on several lifestyle
variables. They demonstrated a lower incidence of continued drug use and repeat
pregnancy, and a greater number continued school, received a high school or
general equivalency diploma, or were placed in a job. Thus, a relatively
cost-effective high school based intervention had positive effects on both
adolescent mothers who had used drugs and their infants.
Scafidi,
F.A., Field, T., Prodromidis, M. & Rahdert, E. (1997) Psychosocial stressors
of drug-abusing disadvantaged adolescent mothers. Adolescence, 32,
93-100.
•
The Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) and the Beck
Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to disadvantaged adolescent mothers
who abused drugs during pregnancy and nondrug-abusing disadvantaged adolescent
mothers. Results suggest that drug-abusing mothers were depressed while the
non-drug abusing mothers were not depressed. In addition, the drug-abusing
mothers reported more mental and physical health problems, more problematic
family and peer relationships, poorer social skills, more aggressive behavior,
less constructive use of leisure time, and a lower educational and vocational
status than did nondrug abusing adolescent mothers.
Eating
Concerns
Mueller,
C., Field, T., Yando, R., Harding, J., Gonzalez, K.P., Lasko, D., & Bendell,
D. (1995). Under-eating and over-eating concerns among adolescents. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry,
36, 1019-1025.
•
Adolescents were given a set of scales to determine their concerns about eating
(under-eating or over-eating), and perceptions of family and peer intimacy,
social support, self-esteem, depression and exercise. Although only 10% stated
that they were “underweight” and 21% that they were “overweight”, as many as 50%
reported having eating concerns. As compared to those who did not have concerns
about eating, those who where concerned about under eating felt that they had
poorer relationships with their mothers and fathers, less social support, lower
self-esteem and less exercise. Those concerned about overeating perceived having
an intimacy problem only with their fathers and scored higher on the depression
scale.
Employment
Largie,
S., Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Sanders, C. & Diego, M. (2001).
Employment during adolescence is associated with depression, inferior
relationships, lower grades and smoking. Adolescence, 36,
395-401.
•
A self-report questionnaire was administered to high school seniors to collect
data on the psychological, behavioral, and social aspects of their lives.
Adolescent employment was associated with (1) greater depression; (2) inferior
relationships with parents and best friends, including less time and physical
contact with parents; (3) lower grade point average; and (4)
smoking.
Exercise
Field,
T., Diego, M. & Sanders, C. (2001). Exercise positively affects adolescents’
relationships and academics. Adolescence,
36, 105-110.
•
High school seniors were administered a questionnaire that gathered information
on their exercise habits, relationships with parents and peers, depressive
tendencies, sports involvement, drug use, and academic performance. Students
with high levels of exercise had better relationships with their parents, were
less depressed, spent more time involved in sports, used drugs less frequently,
and had higher grade point averages then did students with a low level of
exercise.
Family
Responsibility-Taking
Taylor,
S., Field, T., Yando, R., Gonzalez, K.P., Harding, J., Lasko, D., Mueller, C.
& Bendell, D. (1997). Adolescents'
perceptions of family responsibility-taking. Adolescence, 32, 969-976.
•
A scale was developed to solicit adolescents’ perceptions of their family
responsibility-taking (defined as helping out and being supportive). Adolescents
were administered this scale together with self-report measures of intimacy with
parents and peers as well as other psychological variables. Results revealed
that adolescents who felt they assumed more family responsibility reported less
depression, more intimate relationships with their parents and higher
self-esteem.
Gifted
Students
Field,
T., Harding, J., Yando, R., Gonzalez, K., Lasko, D., Bendell, D., & Marks,
C. (1998). Feelings and attitudes of gifted students. Adolescence, 33,
331-342.
•
Differences between the self-perceptions of gifted high school freshmen and
nongifted peers were assessed regarding intimacy with family and peers, social
support, family responsibilities, self-esteem, depression, and risk-taking
behavior. Gifted Students and their teachers were also administered the
Perceptions about Giftedness Scale. Gifted students reported feeling the same as
or better than their peers about their academic and social skills, and their
teachers closely agreed. Gifted students also perceived themselves as being more
intimate with friends, assuming fewer family responsibilities, and taking more
risks.
Interactions
Feldstein,
S. & Field, T. (2002). Vocal behavior in the dyadic interactions of
preadolescent and early adolescent friends and acquaintances. Adolescence, 37,
495-513.
•
Conversational interactions of sixth-grade friends and acquaintances in
mixed-and same-gender pairs were computer analyzed so that the individual and
dyadic time patterns of their vocal behavior could be examined. Boy-boy pairs
used more and longer segments of simultaneous speech with acquaintances than
with friends whereas the girl-girl pairs did the opposite.
Lundy,
B.L., Field, T.M., McBride, C., Field, T., & Largie, S. (1998). Same-sex and
opposite-sex best friend interactions among high school juniors and seniors. Adolescence, 33, 280-289.
•
Adolescents were videotaped during same-sex and opposite-sex interactions in the
eleventh and twelfth grades. In both grades females felt more comfortable during
same-sex interactions than during opposite-sex interactions, and they rated
their same-sex partners more positively than did males. Females in both grades and males in
eleventh grade showed more peer intimacy than did males in twelfth grade.
Eleventh-grade females showed the most playful behaviors (the most engaged
state).
McBride,
C., & Field, T. (1997). Adolescent same-sex and opposite-sex best friend
interactions. Adolescence, 32,
515-522.
•
In the present study, 48 high school juniors selected their best same-sex and
opposite-sex friends for a videotaping of 10-minute face-to-face interactions
together. Females felt more comfortable with same-sex interactions than during
opposite-sex interactions, and they rated their same-sex partners more
positively than the males. Although second-by-second codings of the videotapes
yielded no group differences on the percentage of time the dyads were in
interested or animated states, females were in more playful states during their
same-sex interactions and males were more playful during their interactions with
females.
Internalizers/Externalizers
Lasko,
D., Field, T., Bendell, D., Yando, R., Scafidi, F., La Greca, A., & Trapani,
L. (1997). Adolescent psychiatric patients’ interactions with their mothers. Adolescence, 32,
977-988.
•
Adolescent psychiatric patients and their mothers engaged in two dyadic
interactions. The participants rated themselves and each other on four
behavioral dimensions (calmness, friendliness, involvement, and bossiness)
during a videotaped playback. Analyses were conducted based on classification of
adolescents as internalizers/externalizers, depressed/nondepressed, and socially
anxious/nonanxious. Internalizing adolescent dyads were significantly calmer,
friendlier, and more involved than were externalizing adolescent dyads. The
dyads in which the adolescents scored lower on the depression scale were calmer,
friendlier, and more involved than were the dyads with adolescents who had
higher depression scores. No differences were noted between high and low
socially anxious dyads.
Internet Use
Sanders,
C., Field, T., Diego, M. & Kaplan, M. (2000). The relationship of internet
use to depression and social isolation among adolescents. Adolescence, 35,
237-242.
•
High school seniors were administered a questionnaire that measured low (less
than 1 hour per day), moderate (1-2 hours per day), and high (more than 2 hours
per day) internet use as well as their relationships with mothers, fathers, and
peers and depression. Low internet users, as compared with high users, reported
better relationships with their mothers and friends.
Intimacy
Field,
T., Lang, C., Yando, R., & Bendell, D. (1995). Adolescents' intimacy with
parents and friends. Adolescence, 30,
133-140.
•
Adolescents’ perceived levels of intimacy with their mothers, fathers and close
friends were examined as a function of demographic, school and psychological
variables. Students with same-sex friends and greater interest in school
reported greater intimacy with their mothers. Students with higher self-esteem,
lower depression, and lower risk-taking scores reported greater intimacy with
their mothers and fathers. The greatest number of relationships with positive
variables involved intimacy with mothers.
Music
Field,
T., Martinez, A., Nawrocki, T., Pickens, J., Fox, N. & Schanberg, S. (1998).
Music shifts frontal EEG in depressed adolescents. Adolescence, 33, 109-116.
•
The present study investigated the effects of music on mood state and right
frontal EEG activation associated with chronic depression. No group differences
or changes were noted for observed or reported mood state. However, cortisol
levels decreased and relative right frontal EEG activation was significantly
attenuated during and after the music procedure, interpreted as less with
withdrawal.
Peer
Relationships
Field,
T., Diego, M. & Sanders, C. (2002). Adolescents’ parent and peer
relationships. Adolescence, 37,
121-130.
•
High school seniors from a suburban private high school were administered a
comprehensive questionnaire to determine differences between adolescents who
rated the quality of their parent and peer relationships as high or low.
Adolescents with high parent and high peer relationships scores had more
friends, greater family togetherness, lower levels of depression and drug use,
and a higher grade point average.
Posttraumatic
stress
Pickens,
J., Field, T., Prodromidis, M., Pelaez-Nogueras, M., & Hossain, Z. (1995).
Posttraumatic stress, depression and social support among college students after
Hurricane Andrew. Journal of College
Student Development, 36, 152-161.
•
A survey of college students conducted one month after Hurricane Andrew hit
Southern Florida included an impact assessment, the Inventory of Socially
Supportive Behaviors, the Reaction Index, the Center for Epidemiological Studies
Depression Scale (CES-D), the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a
Pre-/Post-hurricane Stressors and Hassles Survey. Students who reported having
experienced the most severe impact damage from the storm also reported having
experienced the most stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Nearly half of the
students who sustained high damage to their dwellings could be classified as
depressed.
Risk-Taking
Behavior
Gonzalez,
J., Field, T., Yando, R., Gonzalez, K.P., Lasko, D., & Bendell, D. (1994).
Adolescents' perceptions of their risk-taking behavior. Adolescence, 29,
701-709.
•
A questionnaire comprised of several self-report scales was administered to
adolescents to assess differences between high and low sports and danger
risk-takers on relationship and personality variables. Sports risk-takers
reported more danger-related risk-taking and more drug use but higher
self-esteem than did nonrisk takers. Danger risk-takers reported greater
sports-related risk-taking and more drug use as well as less intimacy with their
mothers, less family responsibility-taking, and less depression than did their
nonrisk-taking counterparts.
Sports
Sanders,
C., Field, C., Diego, M., & Kaplan, M. (2001). Moderate involvement in
sports is related to lower depression levels among adolescents. Adolescence, 35,
793-797.
•
High school seniors completed a questionnaire that gathered data on sports
involvement, depression, intimacy with parents and friends, and grade point
average. The moderate sports involvement group (3 to 6 hours per week) had lower
depression scores than did the low sports involvement group (2 hours or less per
week).
Substance
Use
Diego,
M.A., Field, T. & Sanders, C.E. Academic Performance, Popularity and
Depression Predict Adolescent Substance Use. (2003). Adolescence, 38,
35-42.
•
High school seniors completed a questionnaire on their feelings and activities,
including their use of drugs. Adolescents with a low grade point average, high
popularity, and high depression were more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink
alcohol, and smoke marijuana than were their peers.
Suicide
Field,
T., Diego, M. & Sanders, C. (2001). Adolescent suicidal ideation. Adolescence, 36,
241-248.
•
Adolescent suicidal ideation and its relationship to other variables was tapped
by a self-report questionnaire administered to high school seniors. Eighteen
percent responded positively to the statement “sometimes I feel suicidal.” Those
who reported suicidal ideation differed from those who did not on a number of
variables including inferior family relationships, family history of depression,
inferior peer relations, less emotional well-being, greater drug use, and lower
grade point averages.
Violence
Silver,
M.E., Field, T., Sanders, C., Diego, M. (2000). Angry adolescents who worry
about becoming violent. Adolescence,
35, 663-669.
•
In the present study, 34% of adolescents responded affirmatively to the
following statement: “Sometimes I get so angry that I worry I will become
violent.” These adolescents (the anger group) were compared with the nonanger
group, and several differences were found. Results showed that the anger group
(1) reported less intimacy with parents, received less support from them, and
was less close to siblings; (2) had more opposite-sex friends, dated more
frequently, and more frequently had a boyfriend or girlfriend ; (3) had a lower
grade point average; (4) were more depressed; and (5) used marijuana more
frequently.