A Systematic Review of Intervention Programs Promoting Peer Relationships Among Children and Adolescents: Methods and Targets Used in Effective Programs

Abstract

Children’s peer relationships are crucial for their social-emotional development, mental and physical health. To identify effective strategies to facilitate peer relationships among 8–14-year-olds, a systematic review of intervention programs was conducted. Electronic databases ERIC, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Collection Library and grey literature sources were searched for intervention studies with general or clinical populations published between 2000 and 2020. Interventions had to assess quantity or quality of peer relationships as an outcome measure, thus focusing on helping children to establish more positive relationships or improving their self-reported relationship quality. Sixty-five papers were identified and grouped into universal prevention programs, selective interventions for typically developing children and indicated interventions for children with clinical diagnosis. Prevention programs and interventions for typically developing children facilitated peer relationships by targeting mental wellbeing and self-concepts. Clinical interventions focused on social-emotional skills, symptoms and peer behaviors. Successful programs showed a close alignment of methods and targeted program effects. Practitioners should also be aware of realistic goals for each population. Programs for a general population showed potential to decrease loneliness, whereas clinical populations achieved high increases in play dates, peer acceptance and sociometric status.

Influencing Factors on Students' Behavior in an Educational Context: Basis for Intervention Program

“…In other words, improving social-emotional skills and peer relationships is at the heart of most current childhood prevention approaches. While a considerable amount of literature focuses on social-emotional learning (SEL) programs (Durlak et al, 2022; van de Sande et al, 2019), peer relationship programs have not received the same attention (Pollak et al, 2022). Additionally, there is a lack of empirical studies on the relationship between social-emotional skills outcomes and peer relationship outcomes of universal, preventive programs.…”

“…As prosocial behavior is vital for establishing friendships, social-emotional learning programs have been discussed as a means to facilitate peer relationships. Indeed, there is promising evidence regarding long-term effects of PYD interventions and school based SEL programs on peer relationships (Pollak et al, 2022). A review of programs aiming to facilitate peer relationships (Pollak et al, 2022) found preventive, universal, school-based programs to positively affect peer relationships through positive psychology, classroom interactions, mindfulness, and emotional resilience (Kozina, 2020;Maalouf et al, 2020;Lombas et al, 2019).…”

“…Indeed, there is promising evidence regarding long-term effects of PYD interventions and school based SEL programs on peer relationships (Pollak et al, 2022). A review of programs aiming to facilitate peer relationships (Pollak et al, 2022) found preventive, universal, school-based programs to positively affect peer relationships through positive psychology, classroom interactions, mindfulness, and emotional resilience (Kozina, 2020;Maalouf et al, 2020;Lombas et al, 2019). Typical social-emotional skills programs, however, commonly addressed neurodiverse and at-risk populations (Pollak et al, 2022), even though social-emotional learning is promoted as the ideal universal, preventive approach in schools.…”

“…A review of programs aiming to facilitate peer relationships (Pollak et al, 2022) found preventive, universal, school-based programs to positively affect peer relationships through positive psychology, classroom interactions, mindfulness, and emotional resilience (Kozina, 2020;Maalouf et al, 2020;Lombas et al, 2019). Typical social-emotional skills programs, however, commonly addressed neurodiverse and at-risk populations (Pollak et al, 2022), even though social-emotional learning is promoted as the ideal universal, preventive approach in schools. Thus, there is a lack of empirical studies addressing the impact of universal, preventive social-emotional learning approaches in school on peer relationships.…”

The Relationship of Rejection Sensitivity to Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence: The Indirect Effect of Perceived Social Acceptance by Peers

“…Psychological research in social and psychological development has drawn attention to the importance that close interpersonal relationships play in an individual's psychological safety and well-being [1][2][3]. During childhood, relationships with parents play the most important role, while social experiences with peers become more important progressively from early adolescence, where individuals spend more and more time outside the family environment, focus on their peer group, and generally make greater efforts to belong [4].…”