Examining longitudinal associations between interpersonal outcomes and general psychopathology factors across preadolescence using random intercept cross-lagged panel model

Background: Interpersonal outcomes and mental health problems are closely associated. However, their reciprocal influence has not been directly examined while considering the temporal stability of these constructs, as well as shared and unique variance associated with internalising, externalising and attention problems. Using random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM), we tested the hypotheses that negative bidirectional associations at the between-person and negative cross-lagged effects at the within-person level would emerge between interpersonal outcomes (friendship quality and perceived popularity) and mental health problems (i.e. general psychopathology factor) during preadolescence.

Methods: Participants (n = 918) were from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Psychopathology, consisting of a general psychopathology factor (p-factor) and three specific factors (internalising, externalising and attention problems), was derived from mother-reported Child Behaviour Checklist symptoms. Friendship quality was assessed using the self-reported Friendship Quality Questionnaire. Popularity was assessed using teacher-reported popularity ranking. Four RI-CLPM were estimated to examine the associations between interpersonal outcomes and psychopathology at between- and within-person levels across four timepoints (mean ages 8-11).

Results: At the between-person level, popularity scores, but not friendship quality, were negatively associated with p-factor scores (β = -.33). At the within-person level, we found (i) p-factor scores at age 9 negatively predicted friendship quality and popularity at age 10, but not at other ages (β = -.16 to -.19); (ii) specific externalising factor scores at age 10 negatively predicted friendship quality at age 11 (β = -.10) and specific internalising factor scores at ages 8 and 9 positively predicted friendship quality at ages 9 and 10 (β = .09-.12) and (iii) popularity at age 10 negatively predicted specific internalising factor scores at age 11 (β = -.12).

Conclusions: Psychopathology was found to influence interpersonal outcomes during preadolescence, while the reverse effects were less readily observed, once between-person level effects were accounted for.