Who Does Cohesion Benefit? Race, Gender, and Peer Networks Associated with Adolescent Depressive Symptoms

Citation

Copeland, M. & Kamis, C. (2022). Who Does Cohesion Benefit? Race, Gender, and Peer Networks Associated with Adolescent Depressive Symptoms. J Youth Adolesc.

Abstract

Adolescence is a developmental period when peer network structure is associated with mental health. However, how networks relate to distress for youth at different intersecting racial/ethnic and gender identities is unclear. Using National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health survey data, cross-sectional models examine peer network cohesion predicting adolescent depressive levels for racial/ethnic and gender groups. The analytic sample is N = 13,055, average age 15.3 years, 50.2% female, 68.8 % White, 17.2% Black, 9.7% Hispanic, and 4.2% Asian. The results indicate that average cohesion, depressive levels, and cohesion associated with depressive levels differ by race/ethnicity and gender, with the greatest benefits for White and Black girls. This work clarifies patterns of adolescent networks and mental health by race/ethnicity and gender.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-022-01631-3

Keyword(s)

Intersectionality

Notes

1573-6601

Reference Type

Journal Article

Journal Title

J Youth Adolesc

Author(s)

Copeland, M.
Kamis, C.

Year Published

2022

Edition

2022/05/21

DOI

10.1007/s10964-022-01631-3

Reference ID

9673