Antipathetic relationships among adolescents: Exploring prevalence, gender differences, and stability in the United States and Chile

The present study approaches antipathetic relationships among adolescents in two distinct cultural contexts: Chile and United States. Antipathetic relationships have been shown to be common among adolescents; however, little is known about patterns of antipathy in this population, and its developmental correlates. The two studies presented here analyze in longitudinal Chilean and US samples stability and change in antipathetic relationships, prevalence of mixed- and same-gender antipathies, and individual profiles associated to these relational patterns in early adolescence. Results show high prevalence rates of antipathetic relationships with equal participation of boys and girls and similar rates of mixed and same-gender dyads. Adolescents who participate in this type of interactions showed a maladaptive profile characterized by being aggressive and lower on social status. Antipathies were unstable as particular relationships (with the same peer over time), even though adolescents who held mutually dislike relations with peers at time 1 were more likely to hold similar interpersonal relations over time per se. Implications for further research are discussed.