Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Human Development and Family Studies

Committee Chair(s)

Shawn D. Whiteman

Committee

Shawn D. Whiteman

Committee

Troy E. Beckert

Committee

Timothy Curran

Committee

Travis Dorsch

Committee

Diana Meter

Abstract

This dissertation consists of three studies that examined the influence of multiple relational processes and partners across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Drawing on family systems (Bowen, 1978; Cox & Paley, 1997) and social convoy (Antonucci et al., 2013) theories, social support was conceptualized as a relational dimension that shapes how close others function as resources during key developmental transitions. With this perspective, siblings were included as important, but relatively understudied, members of the social convoy who may provide enduring and flexible support that is extremely relevant for this population. In Study 1, support was treated as an outcome of longitudinal relationship processes in order to examine how supportive family dynamics are developed across adolescence. Changes in relational positivity and negativity with mothers, fathers, and siblings were each significantly predictive of perceived support in emerging adulthood, but each partner contributed differently. Study 2 used structural equation modeling to examine how support from mothers, fathers, siblings, and best friends related to two indicators of psychosocial adjustment: depressive symptoms and delinquent behaviors. In this study, sibling support was uniquely associated with lower depressive symptoms, and parent-child dynamics showed varying patterns of association with outcomes. Study 3 examined how support, positivity, and negativity from parents, siblings, and best friends jointly predicted global relational wellbeing in emerging adulthood. Support from individual partners was not significantly associated with the outcome, but positivity across relationships was, suggesting that examining relational wellbeing within a broader interpersonal context is important. Together, these studies contribute to extant work by clarifying support as a distinct relational process, highlighting siblings as meaningful members of the social convoy, and emphasizing adolescence and emerging adulthood as developmental periods when dyadic and systemic relationships are particularly relevant.

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