Longitudinal Associations of the Attainment of Developmental Tasks With Psychological Symptoms in Adolescence: A Meta-Analysis.

The present meta-analysis integrates results from 310 longitudinal studies on associations of the attainment of 10 developmental tasks with psychological symptoms (e.g., internalizing or externalizing symptoms, anxiety, and depression). Higher initial success with getting access to a peer group, building friendships, preparing for a future career, body acceptance, as well as developing a personal identity, a value system, and socially responsible behavior predicted lower levels of symptoms at follow-up and stronger declines of symptoms over time when controlling for initial symptom levels. Furthermore, higher initial symptom levels predicted lower attainment of these tasks at follow-up as well as lower progress in task attainment. In contrast, more initial romantic/sexual involvement predicted an increase in symptoms over time, while higher initial symptoms were related to an increase in romantic/sexual involvement. Associations with autonomy varied between different forms of autonomy, while acquisition of a gender role was not related with psychological symptoms.