Beyond the average brain: individual differences in social brain development are associated with friendship quality.

ABSTRACT: We tested whether adolescents differ from each other in the structural development of the social brain and whether individual differences in social brain development predicted variability in friendship quality development. Adolescents (N = 299, Mage T1 = 13.98 years) were followed across three biannual waves. We analysed self-reported friendship quality with the best friend at T1 and T3, and bilateral measures of surface area and cortical thickness of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and precuneus across all waves. At the group level, growth curve models confirmed non-linear decreases of surface area and cortical thickness in social brain regions. We identified substantial individual differences in levels and cha

SUBMITTER: Becht AI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7943358 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature