There has been a rapid growth of studies focused on selection and socialization processes of peer... more There has been a rapid growth of studies focused on selection and socialization processes of peer groups, mostly due to the development of stochastic actor-based models to analyze longitudinal social network data. One of the core assumptions of these models is that individuals have an accurate knowledge of the dyadic relationships within their network (i.e., who is and is not connected to whom). Recent cross-sectional findings suggest that elementary school children are very inaccurate in perceiving their classmates' dyadic relationships. These findings question the validity of stochastic actor-based models to study the developmental dynamics of children and carry implications for future research as well as for the interpretation of past findings. The goal of the present study was thus to further explore the adequacy of the accuracy assumption, analysing data from three longitudinal samples of different age groups (elementary school children and adolescents). Our results support...
Embora a qualidade das relações de vinculação seja importante para um desenvolvimento saudável, o... more Embora a qualidade das relações de vinculação seja importante para um desenvolvimento saudável, os seus efeitos são ainda pouco explorados no que se refere à saúde e à aceitação social. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar se a aceitação entre os pares se associa a comportamentos de saúde adaptativos de forma diferenciada para indivíduos seguros e inseguros. Neste estudo participaram 205 pré-adolescentes que completaram a Kerns Security Scale, o Child Health and Illness Profile e técnicas sociométricas de nomeação. As análises sugerem um efeito moderador da vinculação materna na associação entre a aceitação social e comportamentos de saúde: uma melhor aceitação entre os pares associou-se a um melhor bem-estar e comportamentos de saúde mais ajustados nos participantes mais seguros. O efeito de moderação não se verificou para a vinculação paterna. A vinculação segura à figura materna parece neutralizar os riscos relacionados com comportamentos de saúde não adaptativos, sendo também benéfica uma maior aceitação social. Por outro lado, os indivíduos com uma vinculação insegura à mãe apresentam uma baixa perceção de bem-estar e saúde, independentemente do seu grau de aceitação social. Esses resultados são discutidos no contexto da Psicologia da Saúde, a fim de que sejam refletidas formas de intervenção nessa área. A promoção de comportamentos de saúde adaptativos na pré-adolescência deverá contemplar estratégias de intervenção focadas na relação pais-filhos. Palavras-chave: Vinculação, Comportamentos de saúde, Aceitação Social. SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND HEALTH BEHAVIOR: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ATTACHMENT ABSTRACT: Although the quality of attachment relationships is important for a healthy development, its effects are still poorly explored with regard to health and social acceptance. This study aimed to analyze whether peer acceptance is associated with adaptive health behaviors for secure and insecure individuals. A total of 205 preadolescents completed the Kerns Security Scale, the Child Health and Illness Profile, and a sociometric nomination task. The analyses suggest a moderating effect of maternal attachment on the association between social acceptance and health behaviors: more secure individuals were more accepted by their peers and reported a higher perception of well-being and health behaviors. This moderation effect was not found for paternal attachment. A secure mother-child attachment seems to neutralize the risks related to non-adaptative health behaviors, and a higher level of social acceptance is beneficial as well. Conversely, pre-adolescents with an insecure mother-child attachment showed a low perception of well-being and health, regardless of their degree ACEITAÇÃO SOCIAL E COMPORTAMENTOS DE SAÚDE www.sp-ps.pt 39 of social acceptance. These results are discussed in the context of Health Psychology to allow reflection of intervention plans in this area. The promotion of adaptive health behaviors in pre-adolescence should include intervention strategies focused on the parent-child relationship.
We examine the factorial structure of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ), exploring measureme... more We examine the factorial structure of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ), exploring measurement invariance across mother-father-child attachment relationships, child sex, and country. We used the new 21-item SSQ version that integrates both safe haven and secure base behaviors in a two factors structure. Participants were 457 children (224 girls and 233 boys), ranging from 9 to 14 years old (M = 10.84, SD = 1.02) from Portuguese and USA samples. We confirmed the SSQ's two-factor structure, although four items were unrelated to the latent structure and excluded from the final model. Results showed that SSQ can be used to study both mother/child and father/child attachment relationships. Multi-group analyses suggested measurement invariance between boys and girls and between Portuguese and USA samples. Our findings suggest that the SSQ can be considered a valid and cost-effective tool to measure perceived attachment security in middle childhood for both mother/child and father/child relationships.
As amizades na adolescência são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento social, emocional e cognitivo... more As amizades na adolescência são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento social, emocional e cognitivo. Porém, diferenças na qualidade da relação com um melhor amigo podem também estar associadas ao ajustamento psicossocial dos adolescentes. Este estudo procurou identificar diferentes perfis de qualidade de amizade, contrastando-os relativamente a dimensões positivas e negativas dessa relação, bem como ao ajustamento social dos adolescentes no grupo de pares. 821 participantes do 7º ano de escolaridade (M=13 anos), reportaram a sua percepção da qualidade da melhor amizade e nomeações sociométricas permitiram aceder às dimensões do ajustamento social no grupo de pares. Uma análise hierárquica de clusters baseados nas dimensões positivas da qualidade de amizade permitiu identificar três tipos de perfis, nomeadamente de qualidade alta, média e baixa (QA, QM, QB), que se distinguiram significativamente na qualidade global e em todas as dimensões positivas da amizade: as amizades QA caracteri...
The present study assesses the factor structure, psychometric adequacy, and invariance across sex... more The present study assesses the factor structure, psychometric adequacy, and invariance across sex and age of the Relational Provisions Loneliness Questionnaire (RPLQ). Discriminant validity with an external criterion was also tested. In a sample of Portuguese adolescents, from 7th to 9th grade ( N = 817), Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) were conducted to test a four-factor model of loneliness (lack of integration and/or intimacy in peer group and/or family). Results evidenced empirical support for the structure of the RPLQ loneliness scale, which fitted very well the proposed model, and provided adequate fit to the Portuguese data. There was substantial support for the construct validity (factorial, convergent, and discriminant) and reliability of the RPLQ. Measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar) was established across sex and age. Finally, it was assured discriminant validity, provided by the contrast with the social functioning dimensions in peer group. Overall,...
Anxious withdrawal has been associated consistently with adverse peer experiences. However, resea... more Anxious withdrawal has been associated consistently with adverse peer experiences. However, research has also shown that there is significant heterogeneity among anxiously withdrawn youth. Further, extant research has focused primarily on negative peer experiences and outcomes; little is known about the more successful social experiences of anxiously withdrawn youth. We explored the possibility that the association between anxious withdrawal and group-level peer outcomes (exclusion, victimization, and popularity) might be moderated by peer-valued behaviors (prosocial behavior), friendship relational attributes, and sex, even after accounting for the effects of being involved in a reciprocal best friendship. Peer nominations of psychosocial functioning, and self-reports of best friendships and friendship quality were collected in a community sample of 684 Portuguese young adolescents. Regression analyses revealed that more anxious withdrawn adolescents showed worst group-level peer outcomes, but that: (a) prosocial behavior buffered the positive association between anxious-withdrawal and peer exclusion, particularly for boys; (b) higher friendship quality was associated with lower risk of peer victimization for more anxious-withdrawn girls, but with a higher risk for more anxious withdrawn boys; and (c) higher friendship conflict buffered the positive association between anxious withdrawal and peer exclusion for boys. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of peer-valued characteristics on the peer group experiences of anxiously withdrawn young adolescents.
Peer victimization is one of the most prominent problems during adolescence. Research has disting... more Peer victimization is one of the most prominent problems during adolescence. Research has distinguished aggressive and non-aggressive victims; however, there are still significant drawbacks in understanding the social and family functioning of these different groups of victimized adolescents. This study aimed to compare social behavior and perceived attachment security to parents of Portuguese adolescents, classified as aggressive victims, non-aggressive victims and non-victims. The sample consisted of 222 adolescents (115 boys, 107 girls) who completed the Kerns Security Scale and the Extended Class Play, to assess perceived attachment security and social behavior, respectively. Controlling for age and sex, aggressive victims and non-aggressive victims differed in anxious withdrawal but shared a similar profile in peer exclusion and prosocial behavior. Only aggressive victims reported lower attachment security to mother and father when compared to non-victims. These findings underl...
The present research aims to characterize the social relations of withdraw adolescents with their... more The present research aims to characterize the social relations of withdraw adolescents with their peer group and best friends. Data were collected based on three instruments: the Extended Class Play – which allows to capture the evaluations that peers make of the behavior, social functioning and social reputation of their colleagues –, the Friendship Nominations and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire – meant to access the perceptions that individuals have of various qualitative aspects of their best friendships. With regard to social relations, the results showed that socially withdrawn adolescents were described by their peers as being significantly more isolated, excluded and victimized, but also more prosocial than their colleagues. On the other hand, they did not differ in the number of mutual friends nor in the reported relationship’s quality, although they tended to have friends significantly more withdrawn and excluded, as well as less aggressive than the control group’s ad...
O retraimento social dos adolescentes refere-se ao auto-isolamento relativamente ao seu grupo de ... more O retraimento social dos adolescentes refere-se ao auto-isolamento relativamente ao seu grupo de pares, que se traduz num comportamento solitário manifestado de forma consistente (em diferentes situações e ao longo do tempo) e na presença de pares com quem têm familiaridade ou não. Este comportamento pode ter consequências negativas, principalmente na adolescência e pode ser um fator preditor de ajustamento psicossocial. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar a relação entre o retraimento social e o ajustamento sócio-emocional, em termos de comportamento e competências académicas em meio escolar. Participaram no estudo 348 estudantes, com uma média de idades de 14 anos e residência na região da grande Lisboa. Os dados do retraimento social foram recolhidos através da adaptação do Extended Class Play e os do ajustamento sócio-emocional através da adaptação do Teacher-Child Rating Scale. Os resultados mostram que os professores perceberam os adolescentes socialmente retraídos como sendo menos assertivos e como tendo menos aptidões sociais com os pares. Estes resultados apontam para constrangimentos na sua capacidade de ajustamento sócio-emocional à escola.
There has been a rapid growth of studies focused on selection and socialization processes of peer... more There has been a rapid growth of studies focused on selection and socialization processes of peer groups, mostly due to the development of stochastic actor-based models to analyze longitudinal social network data. One of the core assumptions of these models is that individuals have an accurate knowledge of the dyadic relationships within their network (i.e., who is and is not connected to whom). Recent cross-sectional findings suggest that elementary school children are very inaccurate in perceiving their classmates' dyadic relationships. These findings question the validity of stochastic actor-based models to study the developmental dynamics of children and carry implications for future research as well as for the interpretation of past findings. The goal of the present study was thus to further explore the adequacy of the accuracy assumption, analysing data from three longitudinal samples of different age groups (elementary school children and adolescents). Our results support...
Embora a qualidade das relações de vinculação seja importante para um desenvolvimento saudável, o... more Embora a qualidade das relações de vinculação seja importante para um desenvolvimento saudável, os seus efeitos são ainda pouco explorados no que se refere à saúde e à aceitação social. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar se a aceitação entre os pares se associa a comportamentos de saúde adaptativos de forma diferenciada para indivíduos seguros e inseguros. Neste estudo participaram 205 pré-adolescentes que completaram a Kerns Security Scale, o Child Health and Illness Profile e técnicas sociométricas de nomeação. As análises sugerem um efeito moderador da vinculação materna na associação entre a aceitação social e comportamentos de saúde: uma melhor aceitação entre os pares associou-se a um melhor bem-estar e comportamentos de saúde mais ajustados nos participantes mais seguros. O efeito de moderação não se verificou para a vinculação paterna. A vinculação segura à figura materna parece neutralizar os riscos relacionados com comportamentos de saúde não adaptativos, sendo também benéfica uma maior aceitação social. Por outro lado, os indivíduos com uma vinculação insegura à mãe apresentam uma baixa perceção de bem-estar e saúde, independentemente do seu grau de aceitação social. Esses resultados são discutidos no contexto da Psicologia da Saúde, a fim de que sejam refletidas formas de intervenção nessa área. A promoção de comportamentos de saúde adaptativos na pré-adolescência deverá contemplar estratégias de intervenção focadas na relação pais-filhos. Palavras-chave: Vinculação, Comportamentos de saúde, Aceitação Social. SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE AND HEALTH BEHAVIOR: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ATTACHMENT ABSTRACT: Although the quality of attachment relationships is important for a healthy development, its effects are still poorly explored with regard to health and social acceptance. This study aimed to analyze whether peer acceptance is associated with adaptive health behaviors for secure and insecure individuals. A total of 205 preadolescents completed the Kerns Security Scale, the Child Health and Illness Profile, and a sociometric nomination task. The analyses suggest a moderating effect of maternal attachment on the association between social acceptance and health behaviors: more secure individuals were more accepted by their peers and reported a higher perception of well-being and health behaviors. This moderation effect was not found for paternal attachment. A secure mother-child attachment seems to neutralize the risks related to non-adaptative health behaviors, and a higher level of social acceptance is beneficial as well. Conversely, pre-adolescents with an insecure mother-child attachment showed a low perception of well-being and health, regardless of their degree ACEITAÇÃO SOCIAL E COMPORTAMENTOS DE SAÚDE www.sp-ps.pt 39 of social acceptance. These results are discussed in the context of Health Psychology to allow reflection of intervention plans in this area. The promotion of adaptive health behaviors in pre-adolescence should include intervention strategies focused on the parent-child relationship.
We examine the factorial structure of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ), exploring measureme... more We examine the factorial structure of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ), exploring measurement invariance across mother-father-child attachment relationships, child sex, and country. We used the new 21-item SSQ version that integrates both safe haven and secure base behaviors in a two factors structure. Participants were 457 children (224 girls and 233 boys), ranging from 9 to 14 years old (M = 10.84, SD = 1.02) from Portuguese and USA samples. We confirmed the SSQ's two-factor structure, although four items were unrelated to the latent structure and excluded from the final model. Results showed that SSQ can be used to study both mother/child and father/child attachment relationships. Multi-group analyses suggested measurement invariance between boys and girls and between Portuguese and USA samples. Our findings suggest that the SSQ can be considered a valid and cost-effective tool to measure perceived attachment security in middle childhood for both mother/child and father/child relationships.
As amizades na adolescência são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento social, emocional e cognitivo... more As amizades na adolescência são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento social, emocional e cognitivo. Porém, diferenças na qualidade da relação com um melhor amigo podem também estar associadas ao ajustamento psicossocial dos adolescentes. Este estudo procurou identificar diferentes perfis de qualidade de amizade, contrastando-os relativamente a dimensões positivas e negativas dessa relação, bem como ao ajustamento social dos adolescentes no grupo de pares. 821 participantes do 7º ano de escolaridade (M=13 anos), reportaram a sua percepção da qualidade da melhor amizade e nomeações sociométricas permitiram aceder às dimensões do ajustamento social no grupo de pares. Uma análise hierárquica de clusters baseados nas dimensões positivas da qualidade de amizade permitiu identificar três tipos de perfis, nomeadamente de qualidade alta, média e baixa (QA, QM, QB), que se distinguiram significativamente na qualidade global e em todas as dimensões positivas da amizade: as amizades QA caracteri...
The present study assesses the factor structure, psychometric adequacy, and invariance across sex... more The present study assesses the factor structure, psychometric adequacy, and invariance across sex and age of the Relational Provisions Loneliness Questionnaire (RPLQ). Discriminant validity with an external criterion was also tested. In a sample of Portuguese adolescents, from 7th to 9th grade ( N = 817), Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) were conducted to test a four-factor model of loneliness (lack of integration and/or intimacy in peer group and/or family). Results evidenced empirical support for the structure of the RPLQ loneliness scale, which fitted very well the proposed model, and provided adequate fit to the Portuguese data. There was substantial support for the construct validity (factorial, convergent, and discriminant) and reliability of the RPLQ. Measurement invariance (configural, metric, and scalar) was established across sex and age. Finally, it was assured discriminant validity, provided by the contrast with the social functioning dimensions in peer group. Overall,...
Anxious withdrawal has been associated consistently with adverse peer experiences. However, resea... more Anxious withdrawal has been associated consistently with adverse peer experiences. However, research has also shown that there is significant heterogeneity among anxiously withdrawn youth. Further, extant research has focused primarily on negative peer experiences and outcomes; little is known about the more successful social experiences of anxiously withdrawn youth. We explored the possibility that the association between anxious withdrawal and group-level peer outcomes (exclusion, victimization, and popularity) might be moderated by peer-valued behaviors (prosocial behavior), friendship relational attributes, and sex, even after accounting for the effects of being involved in a reciprocal best friendship. Peer nominations of psychosocial functioning, and self-reports of best friendships and friendship quality were collected in a community sample of 684 Portuguese young adolescents. Regression analyses revealed that more anxious withdrawn adolescents showed worst group-level peer outcomes, but that: (a) prosocial behavior buffered the positive association between anxious-withdrawal and peer exclusion, particularly for boys; (b) higher friendship quality was associated with lower risk of peer victimization for more anxious-withdrawn girls, but with a higher risk for more anxious withdrawn boys; and (c) higher friendship conflict buffered the positive association between anxious withdrawal and peer exclusion for boys. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of peer-valued characteristics on the peer group experiences of anxiously withdrawn young adolescents.
Peer victimization is one of the most prominent problems during adolescence. Research has disting... more Peer victimization is one of the most prominent problems during adolescence. Research has distinguished aggressive and non-aggressive victims; however, there are still significant drawbacks in understanding the social and family functioning of these different groups of victimized adolescents. This study aimed to compare social behavior and perceived attachment security to parents of Portuguese adolescents, classified as aggressive victims, non-aggressive victims and non-victims. The sample consisted of 222 adolescents (115 boys, 107 girls) who completed the Kerns Security Scale and the Extended Class Play, to assess perceived attachment security and social behavior, respectively. Controlling for age and sex, aggressive victims and non-aggressive victims differed in anxious withdrawal but shared a similar profile in peer exclusion and prosocial behavior. Only aggressive victims reported lower attachment security to mother and father when compared to non-victims. These findings underl...
The present research aims to characterize the social relations of withdraw adolescents with their... more The present research aims to characterize the social relations of withdraw adolescents with their peer group and best friends. Data were collected based on three instruments: the Extended Class Play – which allows to capture the evaluations that peers make of the behavior, social functioning and social reputation of their colleagues –, the Friendship Nominations and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire – meant to access the perceptions that individuals have of various qualitative aspects of their best friendships. With regard to social relations, the results showed that socially withdrawn adolescents were described by their peers as being significantly more isolated, excluded and victimized, but also more prosocial than their colleagues. On the other hand, they did not differ in the number of mutual friends nor in the reported relationship’s quality, although they tended to have friends significantly more withdrawn and excluded, as well as less aggressive than the control group’s ad...
O retraimento social dos adolescentes refere-se ao auto-isolamento relativamente ao seu grupo de ... more O retraimento social dos adolescentes refere-se ao auto-isolamento relativamente ao seu grupo de pares, que se traduz num comportamento solitário manifestado de forma consistente (em diferentes situações e ao longo do tempo) e na presença de pares com quem têm familiaridade ou não. Este comportamento pode ter consequências negativas, principalmente na adolescência e pode ser um fator preditor de ajustamento psicossocial. Este estudo tem por objetivo analisar a relação entre o retraimento social e o ajustamento sócio-emocional, em termos de comportamento e competências académicas em meio escolar. Participaram no estudo 348 estudantes, com uma média de idades de 14 anos e residência na região da grande Lisboa. Os dados do retraimento social foram recolhidos através da adaptação do Extended Class Play e os do ajustamento sócio-emocional através da adaptação do Teacher-Child Rating Scale. Os resultados mostram que os professores perceberam os adolescentes socialmente retraídos como sendo menos assertivos e como tendo menos aptidões sociais com os pares. Estes resultados apontam para constrangimentos na sua capacidade de ajustamento sócio-emocional à escola.
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