Abstract
Recent research has revealed significant heterogeneity in the peer difficulties associated with social withdrawal subtypes
during early adolescence, but little is known about possible sources of that heterogeneity. This study of 194 Indian young
adolescents (48% female; 90% Hindu; M age = 13.35 years) evaluated whether the peer adversity related to self-reported social withdrawal subtypes (shyness, unsociability,
avoidance) varied as a function of peer-nominated overt and relational aggression, and gender. Regression analyses revealed
that overt aggression and gender moderated the pathways between shyness and peer exclusion and peer victimization such that
the associations were significant and positive only for boys who were high and girls who were low in overt aggression. Several
additional moderator effects were found, including results revealing that relational aggression (in certain cases, in conjunction
with gender) moderated the association between: (1) avoidance and peer exclusion and peer rejection, (2) shyness and peer
rejection, and (3) unsociability and peer victimization. For adolescents who were average and low in relational aggression,
avoidance was positively related to peer rejection, and unsociability was positively related to peer victimization. However,
only for boys who were high in relational aggression, avoidance was found to be positively related to peer exclusion, and
shyness was positively related to peer rejection. The findings highlight the importance of considering additional individual
risk factors in studies of social withdrawal subtypes and point to important differences for young adolescent withdrawn boys
and girls.
during early adolescence, but little is known about possible sources of that heterogeneity. This study of 194 Indian young
adolescents (48% female; 90% Hindu; M age = 13.35 years) evaluated whether the peer adversity related to self-reported social withdrawal subtypes (shyness, unsociability,
avoidance) varied as a function of peer-nominated overt and relational aggression, and gender. Regression analyses revealed
that overt aggression and gender moderated the pathways between shyness and peer exclusion and peer victimization such that
the associations were significant and positive only for boys who were high and girls who were low in overt aggression. Several
additional moderator effects were found, including results revealing that relational aggression (in certain cases, in conjunction
with gender) moderated the association between: (1) avoidance and peer exclusion and peer rejection, (2) shyness and peer
rejection, and (3) unsociability and peer victimization. For adolescents who were average and low in relational aggression,
avoidance was positively related to peer rejection, and unsociability was positively related to peer victimization. However,
only for boys who were high in relational aggression, avoidance was found to be positively related to peer exclusion, and
shyness was positively related to peer rejection. The findings highlight the importance of considering additional individual
risk factors in studies of social withdrawal subtypes and point to important differences for young adolescent withdrawn boys
and girls.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-011-9712-0
- Authors
- Julie C. Bowker, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 224 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4100, USA
- Andrea Markovic, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 206 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4100, USA
- Alex Cogswell, Department of Psychiatry, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Children’s Psychiatry Clinic, 1028 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, USA
- Radhi Raja, Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 206 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4100, USA
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891