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Is Worry Associated With Social Exclusion in School? Within-Person Relations From Age 10 to 16
Andreas Stenhaug1, Věra Skalická2, Stian Solem2
1CAMHS Bryne, Division of Psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
Journal of Adolescence
|July 9, 2026
Summary
Social exclusion in school predicts increased worry in girls from age 12 to 14, supporting the need-to-belong theory. This longitudinal study highlights gender differences in reactivity to social exclusion during development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Social psychology
- Clinical psychology
Background:
- The need-to-belong theory suggests social exclusion impacts cognitive processes.
- Longitudinal data on social exclusion's effect on worry and internalizing problems is lacking.
- Investigating social exclusion's predictive role in worry from childhood to adolescence is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine if school social exclusion predicts worry from childhood to adolescence.
- To determine if these associations differ between genders.
- To test the need-to-belong theory in a real-world developmental context.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 655 Norwegian children from age 10 to 16.
- Biennial assessments using teacher-reported social exclusion and self-reported worry.
- Random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to analyze within-person effects.
Main Results:
- Worry levels increased with age; social exclusion did not change significantly.
- Increased social exclusion at age 12 predicted increased worry at age 14, specifically for girls.
- No gender differences in social exclusion levels, but girls showed higher reactivity.
Conclusions:
- Partially supports the need-to-belong theory regarding social exclusion and cognitive processing.
- Highlights gender-specific pathways linking social exclusion to worry during adolescence.
- Emphasizes the importance of social belonging during critical developmental periods.
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