Cynthia Erdley - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Cynthia Erdley

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

New directions for child and adolescent development, 2001

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABSTRACT The following instructions are suggestions ONLY, designed to give you a sense of how the... more ABSTRACT The following instructions are suggestions ONLY, designed to give you a sense of how the researchers have presented this questionnaire in the past. It is anticipated that teachers will present the questionnaire in a manner they feel is appropriate for their own unique classroom situation.

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABSTRACT Name of Instrument

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

The role of peer acceptance, number of mutual friends, and friendship quality in predicting adjus... more The role of peer acceptance, number of mutual friends, and friendship quality in predicting adjustment across the transition from elementary to middle school was examined. Participants were 146 students (68 boys, 78 girls) who participated in the Time 1 (spring of fih grade) and Time 2 (fall of sixth grade) assessments. Peer acceptance and number of friends were assessed using

Social Development, 2001

Peer relations researchers generally agree that friendship involves a close, mutual, dyadic relat... more Peer relations researchers generally agree that friendship involves a close, mutual, dyadic relationship. However, the lack of consensus on how to operationalize this construct has limited our understanding of the role of friendship in social adjustment. The present study directly compared the psychometric properties (i.e., number of friendships identified, concordances, and stability) of the five major different definitions of friendship used in the literature. Fourth-and fifth-grade students (N ϭ 90) completed a battery of sociometric measures at two different times separated by eight weeks. Friendship dyads were then identified using the following definitional criteria: (1) mutual positive nominations; (2) mutual high ratings (i.e., 4 or 5 on a five-point Likerttype scale); (3) one positive nomination reciprocated by a rating of 5; (4) one positive nomination and mutual high ratings; and (5) one positive nomination and mutual ratings averaging at least 4. Frequency and concordance analyses indicated differences across the five definitions. In addition, the friendships identified by each of the five definitions were similarly moderate in their stability. Explanations for, and the possible implications of, these differences are discussed.

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 2011

This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictor... more This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictors of their adjustment to middle school. Participants were 365 students (175 boys; 99% Caucasian) involved in the Time 1 (the spring of fifth grade) and Time 2 (the fall of sixth grade) assessments. Adolescents completed measures that assessed peer acceptance, number of friends, the quality of a specific mutual friendship, loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and involvement in school. Academic achievement and absentee data were obtained from student files. Regression analyses indicated that the pretransition peer variables predicted posttransition loneliness, self-esteem, school involvement, and academic achievement. The patterns of prediction varied slightly for each adjustment variable, with the most robust relationship being between peer acceptance and achievement. Results of repeated-measures MANOVAs indicated no differential changes in adjustment across time by gender. Implications for including a peer component in programs that prepare students for the middle school transition are discussed.

Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 1999

Developing a more comprehensive understanding of social competence and the reasons for social rel... more Developing a more comprehensive understanding of social competence and the reasons for social relationship difficulties requires attention to the kinds of goals children are pursuing in specific social situations. In this article, the authors describe several theoretical models of social information processing, each of which includes goals as a crucial component in motivating children's behavior. The authors also review evidence from studies of children who are aggressive, withdrawn/submissive, or prosocial that points to an association between children's goals, their strategies for coping with problematic social tasks, and their ultimate success or failure in social relationships. Attention is also given to various social-cognitive processes that may be linked to children's tendencies to formulate adaptive versus maladaptive goals. Finally, the implications of a social goals perspective for interventions with children with emotional and behavioral problems is discussed.

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2003

A mediational model positing that the effects of popularity on children's loneliness and depressi... more A mediational model positing that the effects of popularity on children's loneliness and depression are passed through indexes of friendship experiences was tested using structural equation modeling. Children (193 3rd through 6th graders) completed a battery of sociometric and self-report questionnaires from which measures of popularity, multiple friendship dimensions (i.e., quantity and quality of best and good friendships), and loneliness and depression were derived. Confirmation of a slightly modified model supported the mediational hypothesis. Although popularity exerted no direct impact on the adjustment indexes, it strongly influenced friendship, which, in turn, affected depression through its strong association with loneliness. It appears that popularity is important for setting the stage for relationship development, but that it is dyadic friendship experiences that most directly influence feelings of loneliness and depression.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine a model of factors that place psychiatrically hospitaliz... more The purpose of this study was to examine a model of factors that place psychiatrically hospitalized girls at risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The role of familial and peer interpersonal difficulties, as well as emotional dysregulation, were examined in relationship to NSSI behaviors. Participants were 99 adolescent girls (83.2% Caucasian; M age=16.08) admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Structural equation modeling indicated the primacy of emotional dysregulation as an underlying process placing adolescents at risk for NSSI and mediating the influence of interpersonal problems through the family and peer domains. When family and peer relationships were characterized by conflict and lack of support for managing emotions, adolescents reported more dysregulated emotion processes. Family relational problems were directly and indirectly related to NSSI through emotional dysregulation. The indirect processes of peer relational problems, through emotional dysregulation, were significantly associated with NSSI frequency and severity. The findings suggest that the process by which interpersonal difficulties contribute to NSSI is complex, and is at least partially dependent on the nature of the interpersonal problems and emotion processes.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2000

Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a bas... more Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a basis for attraction among children. The converse may also be true. Dissimilarity appears to contribute to dislike. In one of the only published studies to examine homophily and its converse, D. W. Nangle, C. A. Erdley, and J. A. Gold (1996) found that children were liked by peers who were similar to them in social status and behavioral style and disliked by peers who were dissimilar to them in social status and behavioral style. Examining gender influences, we were only able to partially replicate their findings in the present study. That is, evidence of homophily was found only for girls. In contrast, dissimilarity contributed to dislike for both genders, but was especially evident for boys. With respect to age, prosocial behavior appeared to have a more positive valence among younger girls. whereas aggressive behavior appeared to have a more negative valence among older boys. Attempts to reconcile these findings with those of the Nangle et al. (1996) investigation and the implications for understanding peer processes, gender influences, and behavior problems are discussed.

Health Education & Behavior, 1995

This study used decision-making theory to analyze the developmental changes associated with child... more This study used decision-making theory to analyze the developmental changes associated with children's and adolescents' health behavior. High school and elementary school children completed surveys concerning (1) the extent to which they engage in a variety of preventive and risky health behaviors, and (2) influence sources used in decision making concerning the enactment of these behaviors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the sources of influence children and adolescents report considering in making health-related decisions change developmentally and as a function of gender. Moreover, within and across age, children's sources of influence with respect to health decision making are dependent on the health domains being considered. The findings are discussed in relation to decision-making theory and the implications for the content and timing of health education initiatives for adolescents.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2009

The regulation of emotion is essential for adaptive functioning. However, delineating the pathway... more The regulation of emotion is essential for adaptive functioning. However, delineating the pathways of emotion regulation (ER) processes that lead to psychological adaptation remains under-studied, with mixed evidence for the specificity vs. generality of ER deficits in relation to specific forms of psychopathology. To examine this issue, this study investigated links among ER, social-contextual factors (family, peer), and psychological adjustment (internalizing, externalizing).

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1997

Child and adolescent risky behavior rank high as causes of negative health outcomes for contempor... more Child and adolescent risky behavior rank high as causes of negative health outcomes for contemporary youths. The main focus of the present investigation was to examine the congruence (convergent validity) among several methods (e.g., self, peer, teacher) of assessing youths' risk propensity and to explore the relation of these measures to self-reported frequency of risky health behavior in a sample

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

New directions for child and adolescent development, 2001

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABSTRACT The following instructions are suggestions ONLY, designed to give you a sense of how the... more ABSTRACT The following instructions are suggestions ONLY, designed to give you a sense of how the researchers have presented this questionnaire in the past. It is anticipated that teachers will present the questionnaire in a manner they feel is appropriate for their own unique classroom situation.

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

ABSTRACT Name of Instrument

ABCT Clinical Assessment Series, 2009

The role of peer acceptance, number of mutual friends, and friendship quality in predicting adjus... more The role of peer acceptance, number of mutual friends, and friendship quality in predicting adjustment across the transition from elementary to middle school was examined. Participants were 146 students (68 boys, 78 girls) who participated in the Time 1 (spring of fih grade) and Time 2 (fall of sixth grade) assessments. Peer acceptance and number of friends were assessed using

Social Development, 2001

Peer relations researchers generally agree that friendship involves a close, mutual, dyadic relat... more Peer relations researchers generally agree that friendship involves a close, mutual, dyadic relationship. However, the lack of consensus on how to operationalize this construct has limited our understanding of the role of friendship in social adjustment. The present study directly compared the psychometric properties (i.e., number of friendships identified, concordances, and stability) of the five major different definitions of friendship used in the literature. Fourth-and fifth-grade students (N ϭ 90) completed a battery of sociometric measures at two different times separated by eight weeks. Friendship dyads were then identified using the following definitional criteria: (1) mutual positive nominations; (2) mutual high ratings (i.e., 4 or 5 on a five-point Likerttype scale); (3) one positive nomination reciprocated by a rating of 5; (4) one positive nomination and mutual high ratings; and (5) one positive nomination and mutual ratings averaging at least 4. Frequency and concordance analyses indicated differences across the five definitions. In addition, the friendships identified by each of the five definitions were similarly moderate in their stability. Explanations for, and the possible implications of, these differences are discussed.

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2001

Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 2011

This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictor... more This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictors of their adjustment to middle school. Participants were 365 students (175 boys; 99% Caucasian) involved in the Time 1 (the spring of fifth grade) and Time 2 (the fall of sixth grade) assessments. Adolescents completed measures that assessed peer acceptance, number of friends, the quality of a specific mutual friendship, loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and involvement in school. Academic achievement and absentee data were obtained from student files. Regression analyses indicated that the pretransition peer variables predicted posttransition loneliness, self-esteem, school involvement, and academic achievement. The patterns of prediction varied slightly for each adjustment variable, with the most robust relationship being between peer acceptance and achievement. Results of repeated-measures MANOVAs indicated no differential changes in adjustment across time by gender. Implications for including a peer component in programs that prepare students for the middle school transition are discussed.

Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 1999

Developing a more comprehensive understanding of social competence and the reasons for social rel... more Developing a more comprehensive understanding of social competence and the reasons for social relationship difficulties requires attention to the kinds of goals children are pursuing in specific social situations. In this article, the authors describe several theoretical models of social information processing, each of which includes goals as a crucial component in motivating children's behavior. The authors also review evidence from studies of children who are aggressive, withdrawn/submissive, or prosocial that points to an association between children's goals, their strategies for coping with problematic social tasks, and their ultimate success or failure in social relationships. Attention is also given to various social-cognitive processes that may be linked to children's tendencies to formulate adaptive versus maladaptive goals. Finally, the implications of a social goals perspective for interventions with children with emotional and behavioral problems is discussed.

Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2003

A mediational model positing that the effects of popularity on children's loneliness and depressi... more A mediational model positing that the effects of popularity on children's loneliness and depression are passed through indexes of friendship experiences was tested using structural equation modeling. Children (193 3rd through 6th graders) completed a battery of sociometric and self-report questionnaires from which measures of popularity, multiple friendship dimensions (i.e., quantity and quality of best and good friendships), and loneliness and depression were derived. Confirmation of a slightly modified model supported the mediational hypothesis. Although popularity exerted no direct impact on the adjustment indexes, it strongly influenced friendship, which, in turn, affected depression through its strong association with loneliness. It appears that popularity is important for setting the stage for relationship development, but that it is dyadic friendship experiences that most directly influence feelings of loneliness and depression.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine a model of factors that place psychiatrically hospitaliz... more The purpose of this study was to examine a model of factors that place psychiatrically hospitalized girls at risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The role of familial and peer interpersonal difficulties, as well as emotional dysregulation, were examined in relationship to NSSI behaviors. Participants were 99 adolescent girls (83.2% Caucasian; M age=16.08) admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Structural equation modeling indicated the primacy of emotional dysregulation as an underlying process placing adolescents at risk for NSSI and mediating the influence of interpersonal problems through the family and peer domains. When family and peer relationships were characterized by conflict and lack of support for managing emotions, adolescents reported more dysregulated emotion processes. Family relational problems were directly and indirectly related to NSSI through emotional dysregulation. The indirect processes of peer relational problems, through emotional dysregulation, were significantly associated with NSSI frequency and severity. The findings suggest that the process by which interpersonal difficulties contribute to NSSI is complex, and is at least partially dependent on the nature of the interpersonal problems and emotion processes.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 2000

Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a bas... more Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a basis for attraction among children. The converse may also be true. Dissimilarity appears to contribute to dislike. In one of the only published studies to examine homophily and its converse, D. W. Nangle, C. A. Erdley, and J. A. Gold (1996) found that children were liked by peers who were similar to them in social status and behavioral style and disliked by peers who were dissimilar to them in social status and behavioral style. Examining gender influences, we were only able to partially replicate their findings in the present study. That is, evidence of homophily was found only for girls. In contrast, dissimilarity contributed to dislike for both genders, but was especially evident for boys. With respect to age, prosocial behavior appeared to have a more positive valence among younger girls. whereas aggressive behavior appeared to have a more negative valence among older boys. Attempts to reconcile these findings with those of the Nangle et al. (1996) investigation and the implications for understanding peer processes, gender influences, and behavior problems are discussed.

Health Education & Behavior, 1995

This study used decision-making theory to analyze the developmental changes associated with child... more This study used decision-making theory to analyze the developmental changes associated with children's and adolescents' health behavior. High school and elementary school children completed surveys concerning (1) the extent to which they engage in a variety of preventive and risky health behaviors, and (2) influence sources used in decision making concerning the enactment of these behaviors. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the sources of influence children and adolescents report considering in making health-related decisions change developmentally and as a function of gender. Moreover, within and across age, children's sources of influence with respect to health decision making are dependent on the health domains being considered. The findings are discussed in relation to decision-making theory and the implications for the content and timing of health education initiatives for adolescents.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2009

The regulation of emotion is essential for adaptive functioning. However, delineating the pathway... more The regulation of emotion is essential for adaptive functioning. However, delineating the pathways of emotion regulation (ER) processes that lead to psychological adaptation remains under-studied, with mixed evidence for the specificity vs. generality of ER deficits in relation to specific forms of psychopathology. To examine this issue, this study investigated links among ER, social-contextual factors (family, peer), and psychological adjustment (internalizing, externalizing).

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1997

Child and adolescent risky behavior rank high as causes of negative health outcomes for contempor... more Child and adolescent risky behavior rank high as causes of negative health outcomes for contemporary youths. The main focus of the present investigation was to examine the congruence (convergent validity) among several methods (e.g., self, peer, teacher) of assessing youths' risk propensity and to explore the relation of these measures to self-reported frequency of risky health behavior in a sample