Why worry with friends? Problem talk and anxiety in late adolescent friendships

This study investigated a theoretically derived peer conversation style, problem anxiety talk, to examine the emotional regulation of anxiety in dyads as a possible mechanism of anxiety contagion that occurs between adolescent friends.

In Study 1, 376 late adolescents residing in the United States, ages 17-24 with 68% female, responded to measures of anxiety, worry, friendship quality, depression, co-rumination, and a new measure of problem anxiety talk. In Study 2 problem anxiety talk, stress, anxiety and depression were evaluated in 481 late adolescents, ages 17-24 with 64% female.

Once controlling for worry and co-rumination, problem anxiety talk with a close friend predicted anxiety, stress and depression for both samples of late adolescents. Factor analysis in each sample supported problem anxiety talk as a single factor with high internal consistency.

Findings indicate that problem anxiety talk is a distinct construct representing interpersonal disclosures between friends involving threat perception, likelihood of negative events, and lack of coping skills; results also indicate that problem anxiety talk is associated with anxiety, stress, worry, and depression. Implications of problem anxiety talk in its potential role in the etiology and spread of anxiety are discussed.