A longitudinal study of the effects of negative parental child-rearing attitudes and positive peer relationships on social withdrawal during adolescence: an application of a multivariate latent growth model

Abstract

The present study analysed the factors affecting the developmental trajectories of social withdrawal during adolescence. From an ecological human development perspective, we specifically assessed the role of negative parental child-rearing attitudes and positive peer relationships on social withdrawal. First, the findings showed that negative parental child-rearing attitudes promote social withdrawal and that amicable peer relationships help decrease social withdrawal. Second, factors influencing the developmental trajectories of social withdrawal were initial value and the rate of change for peer relationships. In other words, initial value and rate of change for peer relationships significantly reduced the developmental trajectories of social withdrawal in the long term. Third, negative parental child-rearing attitudes did not have a significant influence on the developmental trajectories of social withdrawal. We discuss how important relationship factors affect the developmental trajectory of social competence during adolescence.