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Adolescents' Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study
Elisa Cavicchiolo1, Fabio Lucidi2, Pierluigi Diotaiuti3
1Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy.
Summary
Adolescent immigrant background and low academic achievement significantly impact peer acceptance and friendships. These factors are more influential than gender on social relationships among classmates.
Area of Science:
- Social psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Educational psychology
Background:
- Adolescent social relationships are crucial for development.
- Understanding factors influencing peer acceptance and friendship is vital.
- Previous research has not fully explored the interplay of diverse characteristics on classmate relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how gender, socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and academic achievement influence adolescent social relationships with classmates.
- To examine differences in peer acceptance and peer friendship based on these characteristics.
- To identify key risk factors affecting social integration in adolescent peer groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Classmates Social Isolation Questionnaire (CSIQ) to measure peer acceptance and friendship.
- Conducted a large-scale population study of 10th-grade students (N = 406,783).
- Established measurement invariance of the CSIQ using Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) and performed latent mean difference tests for reliable comparisons.
Main Results:
- Immigrant background, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status significantly influenced relationships with classmates.
- First-generation immigrant status was the primary risk factor for lower peer acceptance.
- Low academic achievement was the greatest barrier to forming peer friendships, diverging from prior research.
- Gender was found to be less relevant in shaping these social dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent characteristics, particularly immigrant background, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement, significantly affect social relationships with classmates.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering diverse student backgrounds for fostering positive peer interactions.
- The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to support immigrant adolescents and those with lower academic achievement in developing social connections.
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