Research

Adolescents can spend a lot of time interacting with the important people in their lives. Prior research shows that having healthy, high-quality relationships is generally associated with better individual and relational outcomes. Although this is important, we know very little about how youth interact with these important people on a day-to-day basis. In this line of research, we are interested in several projects that examine the links between adolescents’ daily experiences with their siblings, friends, and romantic partners and their well-being.

Specifically, these projects explore:

(a) Associations between daily feelings of support and emotional well-being.

(b) Relationships between day-to-day positive and negative interactions and emotional well-being.

(c) Links between daily disclosures to siblings and best friends, perceived responsiveness, and adjustment.

Conflicts between family members are common during childhood. Within the research, they are often only examined when it happens between two people. In this project, we are interested in how youth navigate multiparty (or polyadic) conflicts within the family.

In particular, we are investigating:

(a) What do families fight about?

(b) How do these disputes get resolved?

(c) What roles do family members assume during these conflicts?

(d) How do each family member argue their points of view and justify their positions?

Trust refers to the belief that what others say and do can be relied on. Similarly, security reflects the perception that one’s relationships are long-lasting and unending. Both of these beliefs are largely understudied in adolescents’ sibling relationships and friendships. In this research, we are interested in associations between adolescents’ perceptions of trust and security in these relationships and indices of the quality of the relationship and their well-being. 

In addition, these projects investigate:

(a) What are the additive (unique) and interactive effects of these relationships on adjustment? In other words, to what extent do sibling relationships and friendships amplify or compensate for each other in relation to youth adjustment?

(b) How do links between trust and security on adjustment vary as a function of contextual factors, including culture and socioeconomic factors?

Adolescence is a developmental period that includes many different transitions. One transition is the shift from high school into postsecondary schooling. Previous research shows that having positive and healthy relationships during adolescence is linked to many positive outcomes. However, we know little regarding contextual variations in the importance of social relationships during this transition.

In these studies, we are interested in exploring how the quality of specific close relationships are linked to academic and psychological adjustment varies as a function of sociodemographic factors (e.g., ethnicity, socioeconomic status) and academic-related factors (e.g., first-generation status).

Peer relationships have long been recognized as crucial relationships that exist beyond the family. However, an important limitation of this research is an unclear understanding of contextual nuances that move youth towards, away from, and against their peers. Although some behaviours may be similar across contexts, many are unique to particular groups. In this line of research, we are interested in identifying peer-related behaviours that are contextually salient in various societies and demographics.

For example:

(a) What are peer-valued traits that may be salient in one context versus another?

(b) What is the association between contextually salient peer-valued traits (e.g., dance)?