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Intraindividual Variability in Adolescent Impulsivity: The Predictive Role of Family and Peer Relationships
Gregory M Fosco1,2, Lan Chen3, Jessica DeFelice4
1Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. gmf19@psu.edu.
Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
|June 20, 2025
Summary
Adolescent impulsivity fluctuates daily. Interpersonal conflict, including family and peer issues, increases daily impulsivity in teens, highlighting a dynamic risk factor for problem behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Behavior
- Risk Factors
Background:
- Adolescent impulsivity is a key predictor of problem behaviors.
- Impulsivity, traditionally viewed as a stable trait, also shows state-like fluctuations in adults.
- Understanding daily variations in adolescent impulsivity is crucial for identifying risk periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To confirm that adolescent impulsivity varies significantly within individuals on a daily basis.
- To investigate how family and peer relationship dynamics influence these daily fluctuations in impulsivity.
Main Methods:
- Collected baseline and 21 daily surveys from 135 parent-adolescent dyads.
- Assessed daily family cohesion/conflict and parent-adolescent dynamics.
- Measured adolescent daily peer satisfaction/rejection and impulsivity.
Main Results:
- Adolescents reported higher impulsivity on days with increased family conflict, parent-adolescent conflict, and peer rejection.
- Parent reports corroborated that parent-adolescent conflict, especially with low connectedness, correlated with higher adolescent impulsivity.
- Findings were more pronounced using adolescent-reported data.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent impulsivity is dynamic, not just a static trait.
- Interpersonal conflict within families and peer groups acts as a significant day-level risk factor for heightened impulsivity.
- Daily relationship dynamics are critical for understanding and potentially intervening in adolescent impulsivity.
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