Adolescent Psychological Adaptation: The Impact of Daily Levels and Instability in Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration.

Introduction: Psychological need satisfaction and frustration are distinct processes that have unique effects on adolescents' psychological adaptation. Beyond their average levels, psychological satisfaction and frustration exhibit meaningful daily instability that is expected to have implications for adolescents' psychological adaptation. However, research directly examining both average levels and instability in psychological need satisfaction and frustration is rare.

Methods: A sample of 107 adolescents (ages 11-18; 38.3% female; 64.5% White/European American) across the United States was recruited via an online survey during 2020-2023. Using a 30-day diary and long-term design, this study aimed to capture both the level and instability of psychological need satisfaction and frustration, and their implications for adolescents' psychological adaptation (indicated by emotion regulation, resiliency, mental health, and self-esteem) 6 months later.

Results: Psychological need satisfaction and frustration played distinct roles in adolescents' psychological adaptation: levels of autonomy and relatedness satisfaction, as well as levels of competence frustration, consistently predict overall adolescent psychological adaptation 6 months later. Beyond levels, instability in autonomy frustration predicted adolescents' emotion regulation, resiliency, and mental health; instability in relatedness frustration predicted adolescents' mental health.

Conclusions: Results emphasized the importance of simultaneously considering the differential roles of satisfaction and frustration in each psychological need. Also, findings highlighted the necessity of considering the dynamic nature of psychological needs.