A healthy peer status: Peer preference, not popularity, predicts lower systemic inflammation in adolescence

M. de Bruine; M. Giletta; J.J.A. Denissen; J.J. Sijtsema; A.J. Oldehinkel

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402

A healthy peer status: Peer preference, not popularity, predicts lower systemic inflammation in adolescence

M. de Bruine
, M. Giletta
, J.J.A. Denissen
, J.J. Sijtsema
, A.J. Oldehinkel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

In adolescence, sensitivity to peers is heightened, which makes peer experiences highly salient. Recent work suggests that these experiences may influence individuals’ immune system functioning. Although there is a need to investigate which types of developmental salient social experiences affect inflammation, no studies have examined the role of peer status in inflammatory activity so far. This study is the first to examine the unique role of different types of peer status (i.e., peer preference and peer popularity) on systemic inflammation in adolescence, and the extent to which this association is moderated by early childhood adversity. Participants were 587 Dutch adolescents from the TRacking Adolescents´ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Data were collected when participants were 11 (SD =.56), 13 (SD =.53) and 16 (SD =.71) years old, respectively. At age 11, early childhood adversity (e.g., hospitalization, death within the family) between 0–5 years was assessed via parent interviews. At age 13, peer preference and peer popularity were assessed with peer nominations of classmates. At age 16, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, was assessed with a venipuncture blood draw. Results showed that adolescents who were rated low on peer preference at age 13 exhibited higher levels of hsCRP at age 16. Importantly, these effects remained after controlling for several covariates, including age, sex, peer victimization, smoking behavior, SES, fat percentage, physical activity and temperament. Additionally, we found a positive effect of peer popularity on hsCRP that depended on early childhood adversity exposure. This suggests that for those adolescents who experienced little early childhood adversity, high levels of peer popularity were associated with high levels of hsCRP. Overall, these findings suggest that it is important to take into account the independent roles of peer preference and peer popularity, as specific types of peer status, to better understand adolescent systemic inflammation.

Original language	English
Article number	104402
Number of pages	8
Journal	Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume	109
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402
Publication status	Published - 2019
Externally published	Yes

Funding

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO Veni 451-15-004) awarded to Matteo Giletta. The TRAILS study has been financially supported by grants from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research NWO (Medical Research Council program grant GB-MW 940-38-011 ; ZonMW Brainpower grant 100-001-004 ; ZonMw Risk Behaviour and Dependence grants 60-60600-97-118 ; ZonMw Culture and Health grant 261-98-710 ; Social Sciences Council medium-sized investment grants GB-MaGW 480-01-006 and GB-MaGW 480-07-001 ; Social Sciences Council project grants GB-MaGW 452-04-314 and GB-MaGW 452-06-004 ; NWO large-sized investment grant 175.010.2003.005 ; NWO Longitudinal Survey and Panel Funding 481-08-013; NWO Vici 016.130.002; NWO Gravitation 024.001.003), the Dutch Ministry of Justice (WODC) , the European Science Foundation (EuroSTRESS project FP-006), Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure BBMRI-NL (CP 32) , the Gratama foundation , the Jan Dekker foundation, and Accare Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry .

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Adolescence
Peer popularity
Peer preference
Peer status
Systemic inflammation

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10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402

Cite this

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title = "A healthy peer status: Peer preference, not popularity, predicts lower systemic inflammation in adolescence",

abstract = "In adolescence, sensitivity to peers is heightened, which makes peer experiences highly salient. Recent work suggests that these experiences may influence individuals{\textquoteright} immune system functioning. Although there is a need to investigate which types of developmental salient social experiences affect inflammation, no studies have examined the role of peer status in inflammatory activity so far. This study is the first to examine the unique role of different types of peer status (i.e., peer preference and peer popularity) on systemic inflammation in adolescence, and the extent to which this association is moderated by early childhood adversity. Participants were 587 Dutch adolescents from the TRacking Adolescents´ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Data were collected when participants were 11 (SD =.56), 13 (SD =.53) and 16 (SD =.71) years old, respectively. At age 11, early childhood adversity (e.g., hospitalization, death within the family) between 0–5 years was assessed via parent interviews. At age 13, peer preference and peer popularity were assessed with peer nominations of classmates. At age 16, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, was assessed with a venipuncture blood draw. Results showed that adolescents who were rated low on peer preference at age 13 exhibited higher levels of hsCRP at age 16. Importantly, these effects remained after controlling for several covariates, including age, sex, peer victimization, smoking behavior, SES, fat percentage, physical activity and temperament. Additionally, we found a positive effect of peer popularity on hsCRP that depended on early childhood adversity exposure. This suggests that for those adolescents who experienced little early childhood adversity, high levels of peer popularity were associated with high levels of hsCRP. Overall, these findings suggest that it is important to take into account the independent roles of peer preference and peer popularity, as specific types of peer status, to better understand adolescent systemic inflammation.",

keywords = "Adolescence, Peer popularity, Peer preference, Peer status, Systemic inflammation",

author = "\{de Bruine\}, M. and M. Giletta and J.J.A. Denissen and J.J. Sijtsema and A.J. Oldehinkel",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402",

language = "English",

volume = "109",

journal = "Psychoneuroendocrinology",

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publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - A healthy peer status

T2 - Peer preference, not popularity, predicts lower systemic inflammation in adolescence

AU - de Bruine, M.

AU - Giletta, M.

AU - Denissen, J.J.A.

AU - Sijtsema, J.J.

AU - Oldehinkel, A.J.

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - In adolescence, sensitivity to peers is heightened, which makes peer experiences highly salient. Recent work suggests that these experiences may influence individuals’ immune system functioning. Although there is a need to investigate which types of developmental salient social experiences affect inflammation, no studies have examined the role of peer status in inflammatory activity so far. This study is the first to examine the unique role of different types of peer status (i.e., peer preference and peer popularity) on systemic inflammation in adolescence, and the extent to which this association is moderated by early childhood adversity. Participants were 587 Dutch adolescents from the TRacking Adolescents´ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Data were collected when participants were 11 (SD =.56), 13 (SD =.53) and 16 (SD =.71) years old, respectively. At age 11, early childhood adversity (e.g., hospitalization, death within the family) between 0–5 years was assessed via parent interviews. At age 13, peer preference and peer popularity were assessed with peer nominations of classmates. At age 16, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, was assessed with a venipuncture blood draw. Results showed that adolescents who were rated low on peer preference at age 13 exhibited higher levels of hsCRP at age 16. Importantly, these effects remained after controlling for several covariates, including age, sex, peer victimization, smoking behavior, SES, fat percentage, physical activity and temperament. Additionally, we found a positive effect of peer popularity on hsCRP that depended on early childhood adversity exposure. This suggests that for those adolescents who experienced little early childhood adversity, high levels of peer popularity were associated with high levels of hsCRP. Overall, these findings suggest that it is important to take into account the independent roles of peer preference and peer popularity, as specific types of peer status, to better understand adolescent systemic inflammation.

AB - In adolescence, sensitivity to peers is heightened, which makes peer experiences highly salient. Recent work suggests that these experiences may influence individuals’ immune system functioning. Although there is a need to investigate which types of developmental salient social experiences affect inflammation, no studies have examined the role of peer status in inflammatory activity so far. This study is the first to examine the unique role of different types of peer status (i.e., peer preference and peer popularity) on systemic inflammation in adolescence, and the extent to which this association is moderated by early childhood adversity. Participants were 587 Dutch adolescents from the TRacking Adolescents´ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Data were collected when participants were 11 (SD =.56), 13 (SD =.53) and 16 (SD =.71) years old, respectively. At age 11, early childhood adversity (e.g., hospitalization, death within the family) between 0–5 years was assessed via parent interviews. At age 13, peer preference and peer popularity were assessed with peer nominations of classmates. At age 16, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of low-grade systemic inflammation, was assessed with a venipuncture blood draw. Results showed that adolescents who were rated low on peer preference at age 13 exhibited higher levels of hsCRP at age 16. Importantly, these effects remained after controlling for several covariates, including age, sex, peer victimization, smoking behavior, SES, fat percentage, physical activity and temperament. Additionally, we found a positive effect of peer popularity on hsCRP that depended on early childhood adversity exposure. This suggests that for those adolescents who experienced little early childhood adversity, high levels of peer popularity were associated with high levels of hsCRP. Overall, these findings suggest that it is important to take into account the independent roles of peer preference and peer popularity, as specific types of peer status, to better understand adolescent systemic inflammation.

KW - Adolescence

KW - Peer popularity

KW - Peer preference

KW - Peer status

KW - Systemic inflammation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85071140168

U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402

DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104402

M3 - Article

C2 - 31465942

AN - SCOPUS:85071140168

SN - 0306-4530

VL - 109

JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology

JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology

M1 - 104402

ER -

A healthy peer status: Peer preference, not popularity, predicts lower systemic inflammation in adolescence

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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