Exploring reciprocal links between early adolescent coping and internalizing symptoms

The rising prevalence of depression and anxiety among adolescents is a public health concern. Early adolescence is a key developmental period to reduce risks for internalizing symptoms through primary prevention programs, yet additional research is needed on modifiable factors, such as coping skills, to target to mitigate risk factors. Therefore, we investigated the reciprocal link between coping style and internalizing symptoms among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of early adolescents (n = 1273) from 12 middle schools over 1 year.

We leveraged a longitudinal data set of a cluster, randomized trial of a preventive intervention from 12 middle schools in a large public-school district in the United States to test our hypotheses using multilevel modeling. The sample was 49% female and racially/ethnically diverse (39% Hispanic/Latinx, 23% Black/African American, 12% Asian or Pacific Islander, 11% other, 9% White, and 5% multiracial). Participants (ages 12-14) completed a baseline questionnaire in 7th grade (Spring 2018) and a 1-year follow-up questionnaire in 8th grade (Spring 2019).

Depressive and anxious symptoms affected levels of active and avoidant coping skill use over the 1-year period of the study, indicating that symptoms can be an impetus for maladaptive coping. We also identified bidirectional links between active coping and depression in addition to avoidant coping and anxiety.

Our findings have implications for augmenting coping psychoeducation within prevention programs to reduce internalizing symptoms among early adolescents and for future longitudinal and qualitative research exploring how coping skills reduce risks for internalizing symptoms throughout adolescence and into early adulthood.