Access Type

Open Access Dissertation

Date of Award

January 2022

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Valerie A. Simon

Abstract

Informed by theories of interpersonal development, this study evaluates whether two known threats to psychosocial health – exposure to family violence (EFV) and early sexual engagement (ESE) – are associated with adolescent girls’ intimacy development with close same-sex friends. A sample of metropolitan-area, mostly Black and African American (77%) girls (N = 93; Mage = 12.5) provided three waves of longitudinal data over 18 months (T1 – T3), spanning early to middle adolescence. Multilevel models were used to examine changes in girls’ close friendships, including the number of closest same-sex friends and quality of best same-sex friendship. Cumulative EFV and ESE by T1 showed different patterns of association with growth in these two areas of intimacy development. Girls with low EFV had more closest same-sex friends at T1 than girls with high EFV and showed a reduction in the number of closest friends from T1-T3. The comparatively low number of closest same-sex friends reported at T1 by girls with high EFV remained relatively unchanged over time. EFV was unrelated to best friendship quality. ESE by T1 predicted changes in both the number of closest same-sex friends and quality of best friendships over time. For girls with less extensive ESE at T1, the number of closest same-sex friends and the quality of girls’ best friend relationship remained relatively unchanged over time. Girls with more extensive ESE at T1 showed a decrease in the number of closest same-sex friends and an increase in negative friendship quality from T1-T3. ESE was unrelated to change in positive friendship quality. Same-sex friendships are often examined as a predictor of interpersonal and psychosocial outcomes for youth or as a mid-late adolescent outcome to explore. The current findings highlight the potential for childhood exposure to family violence and precocious sexual engagement to disrupt same-sex intimacy development during a critical developmental period. Eliminating interpersonal violence, systemic violence, and related precocious sexual engagement is important for promoting girls’ positive intimacy development. Use of a systems approach is needed to continue to examine transacting patterns of intimacy development among girls’ familial, close friend, and romantic and sexual relationships.

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