Abstract
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Emotion identification skill (EIS) has been correlated with social support, but little research has examined the extent
that EIS is a developmental precursor to supportive relationships. The present study investigated the longitudinal relationships
between EIS and social support in adolescence. Participants were 903 (464 males; 439 females) Australian
high school students, with 314 participating in all four waves. Students completed questionnaires annually from Grade
9 to Grade 12, including self-report measures of (1) EIS, (2) social support network size, and (3) quality of social support.
Cross-lagged structural equation modeling supported a reciprocal influence model, with social support and EIS
mutually influencing each other’s development. We discuss the implications of this finding for the positive development
of EIS and social support.