The role of psychopathology centrality in psychopathology stability and associations with life satisfaction in adolescence

Abstract

Psychopathology can play an important role in the lives of adolescents. However, no research has as of yet examined the role of psychopathology centrality in the course of psychopathology and well-being in adolescence. The present study examined the role of psychopathology centrality in the stability of psychopathology and in the association between psychopathology and satisfaction with life, both across a one-year period, using a sample of 82 Dutch adolescents (M = 16.5 years-old, 74.4% girls) diagnosed with a depressive, anxiety, and/or eating disorder. Psychopathology centrality was correlated positively with psychopathology and negatively with satisfaction with life. Psychopathology was less stable and, tentatively, the link between psychopathology centrality with satisfaction with life less strong for adolescents with higher psychopathology centrality.