Prospective associations between peer functioning and social anxiety in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Year: 2020
Type: review
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: BACKGROUND: During adolescence, peer relationships take precedence and there is a normative increase in social anxiety. Although prospective studies have suggested peer functioning and social anxiety can influence each other, their findings have not been examined systematically. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies to examine the bidirectional relationship between peer functioning and social anxiety in adolescence. METHODS: EMBASE, PsycINFO, Medline, and PubMed were searched to identify relevant articles. Meta-analysis was conducted to examine the mean effect sizes of prospective associations between social anxiety and four dimensions of peer functioning. Moderator analysis was performed, with age, gender, time interval between baseline and follow-up assessment, and publication year as moderators. RESULTS: Meta-analyses of 23 studies showed that friendship quality (r =-.11), peer rejection (r =-.06), and peer victimization (r =.23) were each associated with later social anxiety, but peer acceptance was not (r =-.11). Social anxiety at baseline was associated with prospective levels of friendship quality (r =-.11), peer rejection (r=.09), and peer victimization (r =.17), but not peer acceptance (r =-.14). Age moderated the association between friendship quality and prospective social anxiety. Other moderator effects were statistically non-significant. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include different classifications of peer functioning, the use of self-report measures, heterogeneity between studies, and underrepresentation of clinical samples. CONCLUSIONS: A significant bidirectional association was found with social anxiety across three dimensions of peer functioning. Psychological prevention and intervention targeting peer functioning and social anxiety are indicated.
Source: Journal of Affective Disorders
Authors: Kenny Chiu, David M. Clark, Eleanor Leigh
Institutions: King's College London, University of Oxford
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,350
Awards: G3694320794, NIHR Senior Investigator Award, Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Fellowship Scheme for Clinicians, Advancing cognitive therapy for anxiety disorders and PTSD, G6425681975, G6772848967, Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Fellowship Scheme for Clinicians, G9000054708, G9000065203, G993412953
OpenAlex ID: W3095027428