Rethinking the Power of Peers During Adolescence

"When it comes to adolescents, most of us assume friends matter more than parents, and the answer seems obvious. Adolescence is often described as the period when peers take center stage and parents gradually fade into the background. Friends become the primary source of validation and emotional support, and although parents remain involved, they may seem less influential. This narrative isn't wrong. But it's incomplete and in some cultural contexts, it may be even misleading."

"We analyzed data from more than 2,500 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 17 from Benin, West Africa. The data came from the World Health Organization's Global School-Based Health Survey, and aimed to assess adolescents' health risk behaviors and protective factors in low- and middle-income countries using self-reported questionnaires. As expected, adolescents who were bullied were more vulnerable to mental health issues, such as feeling lonely and even considering suicide."

Data from over 2,500 adolescents aged 11–17 in Benin were analyzed using the World Health Organization's Global School-Based Health Survey. Bullying was associated with increased vulnerability to mental health problems, including loneliness and suicidal ideation. Parental support emerged as an important protective factor, with adolescents reporting more parental support showing fewer mental-health problems despite bullying exposure. Peer support did not explain the bullying–mental-health link in this sample. Western assumptions that peers supplant parental influence during adolescence may be incomplete or culturally specific, and interventions should account for family and cultural context.

Read at Psychology Today