Information management strategies in early adolescence

Developmental change in use and transactional associations with psychological adjustment

Bibliographic Data

ID9789130
AuthorsRobert D Laird (0000-0002-8336-2263, University of New Orleans, corresponding author), Matthew D Marrero (University of New Orleans), Jessica A Melching (University of New Orleans), Emily S Kuhn (University of New Orleans)
Year2013
Volume49
Issue5
Pages928-937
Publication date2013-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/a0028845
PMID22686172
OpenAlexW2013991131
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited22

Adolescents use various strategies to manage their parents' access to information. This study tested developmental change in strategy use, longitudinal associations between disclosing and concealing strategies, and longitudinal associations linking disclosing and concealing strategies with antisocial behavior and depressive symptoms. Self-report data (n = 218; 49% female; 49% European American, 47% African American) following Grades 5 (M age = 11 years, 11 months), 6, and 7 show that the use of disclosing strategies (e.g., telling all, telling if asked) following misbehavior declined while use of concealing strategies (e.g., omitting details, keeping secrets, lying) increased over time. Longitudinal links between strategies suggest a transactional process wherein infrequent disclosing is a gateway to concealment but concealment also predicts subsequent rank-order reductions in disclosure. Infrequent disclosing was associated with more subsequent antisocial behavior and depressive symptoms, whereas more antisocial behavior was associated with more subsequent concealment. Although absolute declines in disclosure and increases in concealment are normative, individual differences show that adolescents reporting low levels of disclosure, rather than high levels of concealment, appear to experience the most adjustment problems

Developmental psychology · Longitudinal study · Normative · Self-disclosure · Transactional leadership · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Psychology · Social Psychology