by Jarred James Breaux

Created on: August 16, 2009

Peers function as comparison models. They provide information about the world outside of the family. Adolescents also receive feedback from their peers regarding their abilities. Adolescents are then able to judge their behaviors and determine if what they do is better than, as good as, or worse than the behaviors of other adolescents. Because siblings are usually older or young, this is very difficult to do within a family setting.

In Anna Freud's study of six adolescents who lost their parents in World War II, the peer group became the emotional shelter for the adolescents. They relied upon one another and did not become delinquent or psychotic.

Peer relationships are needed to maintain emotional stability. Social isolation leads to many forms of problems and disorders, which range from delinquency and drinking problems to depression. Positive peer relations are correlated with positive social adjustment. The positive effects of peer relations are far reaching. Positive peer relations during adolescence points to positive mental health in midlife. Also, adolescents with stable best friends have a more positive sense of self-worth as adults.

According to Jean Piaget and Harry Stack Sullivan, adolescents learn reciprocal relationships during peer interactions. They come to understand fairness and justice by working through problems with their peers. They also observe their peer behaviors to adjust their own to fit into the group. Also, peer interactions and the development of close friendships with select individuals leads an adolescent to become a skilled and sensitive partner in an intimate relationship. These intimacy skills are later applied to dating and marriage.

Peer relationships are not always positive however. Peer rejection or avoidance causes loneliness and hostility with some adolescents. Peer rejection ultimately leads an individual to mental health issues and criminal activities. Certain groups of peers can also negatively influence adolescents through alcohol, drugs, delinquency, and other maladaptive behaviors.

There are five main peer statuses: popular children, average children, neglected children, rejected children, and controversial children. These five categories reflect the sociometric status of individuals.

Popular children are the most liked among the statuses. An individual who falls into this category is often nominated as a best friend and is rarely disliked by anyone in the group. Popular children tend to have well adapted

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