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Adolescent reactions to maternal responsiveness and internalizing symptomatology: A daily diary investigation

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Personal Relationships

Published online on

Abstract

A daily diary methodology was employed to gather teens' perceptions of maternal responsiveness to daily stressful events and teens' reactions to maternal responsiveness in a diverse sample (792 entries from 104 teens; 81% African American, mean age = 13.7 years). Additionally, parents and teens completed baseline reports of internalizing symptoms. Diary findings were congruent with prior studies employing self‐report measures of global maternal responses to emotion (e.g., higher probability of Accepting reactions to supportive responses, higher probabilities of Attack, Avoid‐Withdraw reactions to nonsupportive responses). Elevated baseline internalizing symptoms were related to perception of elevated Punish and Magnify responses during the week, and more Avoidant (Avoid‐Withdraw and Avoid‐Protect) reactions to responsiveness. Results are discussed in the context of reciprocal emotion socialization processes.