Peer group deviancy in organized activities and youths' problem behaviours.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to examine whether youths' perceptions of the level of deviancy in their organized activity peer group predicted an increase in their antisocial behaviours and substance use. Their prior behaviour and the level of co-deviance with their friends were controlled. Moderators of this association were also examined, including characteristics of youths (i.e., gender) and activity contexts (i.e., type, degree of supervision, age and gender composition of the peer group). Participating youths (N = 185; M age = 14.34, 60% girls) were surveyed in Grades 8 and 9 using phone interviews and questionnaires. Results revealed that peer group deviancy predicted increases in youths' problem behaviours after controlling for covariates. In addition, this association was moderated by the age composition of the activity peer group for antisocial behaviours and by activity type for substance use. Overall, these findings draw attention to the possibility of negative peer group dynamics in organized activities.

On the Importance of Peer Influence for Adolescent Nicotine Use

“…While the current study found inconsistent results for the moderating role of gender, Hoffman, Sussman, Unger, and Valente (2006) 22 found a strong effect of peer association on substance use being moderated by gender. The findings of the current study were consistent with the findings by Westling et al (2008) 7 and Denault et al (2012) 23 who found no significant interactions between peer associations and alcohol use moderated by gender. Although this study found that gender was not a significant moderator in the relationship between leisure boredom and substance use, Sweeting and West (2003) showed that the differences in gender influenced the change in leisure activities and patterns of substance use.…”

Motivations for Activity Participation as Predictors of Emerging Adults' Psychological Engagement in Leisure Activities

“…Our exploration of activity type as a moderator was suggested by previous research showing links between activity type and participation outcomes and activity experiences (e.g., Denault & Poulin, 2012). We found that values only predicted psychological engagement in emerging adults in non-sports activities.…”

“…Due to power considerations, activity type was dichotomized as sports/physical activity (60%) versus nonsports (40%), following similar categorization in past studies (e.g., Denault & Poulin, 2012). We tested for equality of structural coefficients, constraining the paths from motivators to psychological engagement to be equal in both groups.…”

The Use of an Ecodevelopmental Approach to Examining Substance Use Among Rural and Urban Latino/a Youth: Peer, Parental, and School Influences

“…Peer maladaptive behaviors and peer substance use have been found to consistently influence and predict individual use (Denault & Poulin, 2012;Rienzi et al, 1996). When youth are exposed to peer's perceptions and behaviors concerning substance use, these subsequently inform their own perception and propensity for use (Waller, Okamoto, Miles, & Hurdle, 2003).…”