Authors:

Katherine S. Fosco

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Popularity is an important aspect of adolescents' social life; however, findings indicate it promotes aggression and reduces friendship quality [1]. This study investigated the longitudinal effects of peer attachment on popularity among adolescents and the mediation process of relational aggression among juxtaposing cultural groups. The research participants included adolescents between the ages of 11 and 15 in the United States and China. The participants of this study included American (n = 569) and Chinese (n = 601) adolescents aging 11-15. Data collection occurred at three time points. The mediation was examined in SPSS PROCESS. There was a significant interaction effect between peer attachment at Time 1 to relational aggression at Time 2 (B = .36, p < .001). This simple slope was negatively significant for American adolescents (B = -.31, p < .001) but not significant for Chinese adolescents. Similarly, a significant interaction effect (B = -.27, p < .05) was found on the path from relational aggression at Time 2 to popularity status at Time 3. Asimple slope for American adolescents showed increased relational aggression predicted higher popularity (Effect = -.22, p < .01), while no significant simple slopes were found for Chinese adolescents. The relationship between peer attachment at Time 1 and popularity status at Time 3 showed a positive interaction effect (B = .21, p < .05). This path had a negatively significant simple slope for American adolescents (B = -.23, p < .01) and no significant findings for Chinese adolescents. For American adolescents, the mediation pathway highlights social dynamics among attachment to popularity status via social behaviors like relational aggression. Contrastingly, no significant moderated findings were found for Chinese adolescents, uncovering how peer attachment and relational aggression may not be significant predictors of popularity.

Source:

DePaul University

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Co-authors:

Katherine S. Fosco