Beneficial or Fostering Future Struggles (B.F.F.s)? Characterizing the Role of Friends in the Development of 13- to 17-Year-Old Adolescents

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · Jun 5, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Beneficial or Fostering Future Struggles (B.F.F.s)?" is exploring how friendships affect adolescents aged 13 to 17, particularly focusing on those who have experienced maltreatment (like abuse or neglect) compared to those who haven’t. The researchers want to understand how different friendship experiences can influence the ability to handle stress and the risk of future mental health challenges. Participants will be involved in activities that measure their stress management while being accompanied by a parent and a best friend.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be between 13 and 17 years old, have a best friend who can join them, and have a caregiver who is not involved in any past maltreatment. During the study, participants will complete questionnaires, engage in tasks that are recorded, and discuss their experiences with their friend or sit quietly for a brief period, depending on their group assignment. After six months, there will be a follow-up to see how things have changed. This study is important because it aims to shed light on how friendships can support young people facing difficult situations.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 13 to 17 years old at first study visit
• • Qualify as either maltreated (endorses history of maltreatment - physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment, or neglect and/or has substantiated record of child maltreatment per Department of Social Services \[DSS\] records) or non-maltreated (denies history of maltreatment and/or no substantiated record of child maltreatment per DSS records)
• • Parent participating in the study visit is a non-offending caregiver (no record of substantiated maltreatment against the adolescent participant)
• • Participant identifies a best friend who is not a sibling or previous/current romantic partner who can accompany them to the study visit
• • Participant, caregiver, and friend are fluent in written and spoken English
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • \<13 or \>17 at time of first study visit
• • No available non-offending parent or guardian/caregiver to participate in the study
• • No best friend identified to accompany the participant to the study
• • Participant, caregiver, or friend is not fluent in written and spoken English