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Academic self-disclosure in adolescence
1Department of Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University, CA 95053, USA. tquatman@scu.edu
Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs
|May 23, 2002
Summary
Adolescents discuss academic performance with peers, influencing self-disclosure. Peer achievement levels significantly impact these conversations, more than friendship or romantic interest.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Adolescent Development
Background:
- Adolescents' dialogues about academic performance are key to self-disclosure.
- Previous research often focused only on gifted students.
- Understanding factors influencing academic self-disclosure is crucial for adolescent development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors influencing adolescents' decisions to self-disclose academic performance.
- To extend the understanding of academic self-disclosure beyond gifted populations.
- To examine the interplay of interpersonal context and relative intelligence on academic self-disclosure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 12-scenario instrument with ethnically diverse 10th and 12th graders in Silicon Valley.
- Manipulated interpersonal context (friendship/attraction) and relative intelligence (more/less/equally smart).
- Queried degrees of academic self-disclosure in response to different scenarios.
Main Results:
- Academic self-disclosure was strongly influenced by the achievement levels of both the student and their peer.
- Friendship and romantic interest had a moderate influence on self-disclosure.
- Gender and age also showed predictable influences on academic self-disclosure.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent academic self-disclosure is complex, influenced by peer achievement, relationship type, and demographics.
- Findings highlight the importance of peer interactions in shaping how adolescents discuss academic performance.
- This research broadens the scope of academic self-disclosure studies to include diverse adolescent populations and contexts.