The Effects Of Peer Relationships On Adolescents Essay
All relationships start with peers. Peers are individuals who are similar in age and maturity level. Peer interaction is a fundamental part of adolescence. These interactions differ from person to person and situation to situation. A shy adolescent will have more trouble socializing with peers than an outgoing one. Individuals may not act the same way towards a friend at a sporting event as they would with an acquaintance at church (Santrock, 2014).
Peers eventually form relationships with each other. This all begins with friendship. Friends are a subcategory of peers who engage in mutual companionship, intimacy, and support. Friendship in adolescence can be very important for individual well-being. Adolescents who had developed friendships had lower rates of delinquency, risky sexual behavior, and substance abuse. They were also more likely to have higher educational achievement, exercise more. On the other hand, those who did not have any friends were more likely to engage in less prosocial behavior, had lower educational achievement, and had higher rates of depression and low…