Research on political homophily has almost exclusively focused on adults, and little is known about whether political homophily is present early in life when political attitudes are forming and friendship networks are rapidly changing. We examined political homophily using a social network approach with rural middle school students ( N = 213; mean age = 12.5 years; 57% female) from a remote U.S. community. Preregistered analyses indicated that early adolescents were more likely to spend time with people who shared similar political attitudes and values. These effects were most consistent for right-wing authoritarianism, patriotism, and anti-immigration attitudes. Our results show that political homophily is evident at an early age when young people are forming their political beliefs and making decisions about their friendships, suggesting that peer political-attitude socialization may emerge early in life.

Politics entails personal costs and benefits, which may differ for youth from different sociocultural backgrounds. The at‐stake hypothesis proposes that politically marginalized youth experience greater costs (e.g., stress, conflict) and benefits (e.g., empowerment) related to politics, whereas the at‐risk hypothesis proposes that politically marginalized youth experience greater costs but lower benefits. In Study 1, we examined the factor structure of a new political costs and benefits measure among youth (N = 1,056, Mage = 15.91 years) and tested mental health and demographic correlates. Consistent with the at‐stake hypothesis, marginalized youth experienced greater political costs and benefits than non‐marginalized youth, although findings were nuanced. In Study 2, a sub‐sample of participants (N = 191, Mage = 16.05 years) were recontacted from Study 1 to provide written explanations for why specific findings emerged. Adolescents' reasons indicated that laws and policies disproportionately affect youth from marginalized populations, thus producing both negative and positive political experiences

Political engagement entails personal costs (e.g., feelings of stress, anger, or regret; interpersonal conflict) and benefits (e.g., sense of pride, purpose, or empowerment; interpersonal bonding). Little research has examined the range of costs and benefits of adolescent political engagement and whether these costs and benefits differ for youth from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. In Study 1, we examined the factor structure of a new political costs and benefits measure among a large diverse sample of youth (N=1,056; Mage=15.91), and tested mental health and demographic correlates. Results supported an eight-factor structure of political costs (mental health costs, anger, regret, family disruptions, obsession, distraction, financial/legal problems, friendship disruptions) and a four-factor structure of political benefits (pride/self-expression, purpose/empowerment, enriched family relationships, enriched friendships). Political costs and benefits demonstrated nuanced associations with general mental health and demographic characteristics, with marginalized youth generally more likely to experience both greater political costs and benefits than non-marginalized youth. To contextualize sociocultural differences found in Study 1, in Study 2, a sub-sample of participants (N=191) from Study 1 were recontacted to provide written explanations for why they thought specific Study 1 findings emerged. Youths’ reasons generally indicated that laws and policies disproportionately affect youth from marginalized populations thus producing both negative and positive political experiences. Results partially support a “at-stake” hypothesis where marginalized youth experience greater political costs and benefits, while also highlighting more nuanced and contextualized reasons for variation in costs and benefits that are specific to certain subpopulations. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

Studies in adults suggest that sleep disturbances predict poorer socioemotional skills and impaired social interactions. However, little is known regarding how sleep problems are associated with social processes during adolescence, a period when both sleep neurobiology and social relationships are undergoing dramatic developmental changes. The current study examined associations among sleep disturbances and peer connectedness among a sample of middle-school students (N = 213, 11-15 years old, 57% female) using a social network approach. Findings suggested that youth with greater sleep disturbances reported having fewer friends, fewer peers rated them as friends, and were less likely to have reciprocated friendships, even after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and mental health symptoms.

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