Early Adversity and Stressor–Cognitive Style Transactions: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Cognitive styles are often viewed as stable vulnerabilities, yet it is unclear whether stressors prospectively shape these styles in adolescence. In this study, we examined time-lagged within-person associations between stressors and cognitive styles, reverse effects, and moderation by early adversity. Data came from 470 U.S. adolescents followed annually for 7 years. Multilevel models separated within-person variance from between-person variance and adjusted for prior outcomes. There was little evidence for general socialization or selection effects: Within-person changes in stressors did not predict later cognitive styles, and cognitive styles did not predict later stressors. Early adversity, however, moderated several associations. Adolescents without adversity showed slightly less negative cognitive styles following higher stressors, whereas higher adversity levels were associated with smaller reductions or increases in negative cognitive styles. Effects were most pronounced for childhood adversity and noninterpersonal stressors. Cognitive-style change may emerge selectively among adolescents with early adversity who encounter specific stressors.