Understanding longitudinal associations between problematic peer relations and psychopathology is needed to inform public health. Three models have been proposed: Poor peer relations (a) lead or are a risk factor for psychopathology, (b) lag or are a consequence of psychopathology, or (c) both lead and lag psychopathology. Another model is that poor peer relations lead or lag psychopathology depending on the developmental period. To test these models, youths’ peer relations and clinical symptoms were assessed up to six times between ages 3 and 11 in 306 children. Bivariate latent-change-score models tested leading and lagging longitudinal relationships between children’s peer relations (peer victimization/rejection, peer-directed aggression, social withdrawal, prosocial behavior) and psychopathology (depression, anxiety, and externalizing symptoms). Peer victimization/rejection was a leading indicator of depression from early childhood into preadolescence. Peer-directed aggression was a leading indicator of externalizing symptoms (in late childhood).

需要了解有问题的同伴关系与精神病理学之间的纵向关联，以便为公共卫生提供信息。提出了三种模型：较差的同伴关系（a）导致精神病理学或成为精神病理学的危险因素，（b）滞后或是精神病理学的结果，或（c）既是精神病理学的先导又是滞后的精神病理学。另一种模型是，不良的同伴关系会根据发展时期的不同，导致或滞后于精神病理学。为了测试这些模型，我们对 306 名 3 至 11 岁儿童的同伴关系和临床症状进行了六次评估。双变量潜在变化评分模型测试了儿童同伴关系（同伴受害/拒绝、同伴定向攻击、社交退缩、亲社会行为）和精神病理学（抑郁、焦虑和外化症状）之间的领先和滞后纵向关系。同伴受害/拒绝是从幼儿期到青春期前抑郁症的主要指标。同伴定向攻击是外化症状（童年晚期）的主要指标。