Susceptibility to peer influence during middle school: Links with social support, peer harassment, and gender

Abstract

The present study explores concurrent relations between social support, gender, susceptibility to peer influence, and peer‐based aggression and harassment in a socioeconomically and racially diverse sample of 774 seventh and eighth grade students. Results indicate that students perceiving lower support from their family or school were relatively more likely to be highly susceptible to peer influence, and to have friends who they believed were also highly susceptible to peer influence. Further, higher susceptibility to peer influence was associated with increased involvement in relational aggression and sexual harassment, both as a perpetrator and as a victim. Gender moderation effects were also found. The negative association of school support and susceptibility to peer influence was found greater in girls than boys. Girls who were highly susceptible to peer influence, or who had friends who were highly susceptible, had a relatively greater risk for involvement in relational aggression and sexual harassment, as compared with boys. Implications of these results for educators and school‐based mental health professionals are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered.

Understanding Sexual Harassment Through an Individual and Relational Lens: Are Risk Factors the Same for Female and Male Perpetrators?

“…Whereas prior work has focused on other forms of sexual violence and on male perpetrators, our findings demonstrate the predictive utility of the peer environment on sexual harassment, and for females in particular. These findings complement emerging evidence finding that girls are especially susceptible to negative peer influence, which in turn may lead to increased involvement in peer-based harassment (Goldstein et al, 2020). Future work should explore additional contextual factors, such as the school environment, to help elucidate how peers may influence harassing behaviors, among girls in particular.…”

“…That said, these studies have mainly focused on male perpetrators, with scarce attention to female sexual harassment perpetration. However, a recent study examining peer influence on adolescents’ peer-based harassment (relational aggression and sexual harassment), found that girls who were highly vulnerable to peer influence had a greater risk for being both a victim and perpetrator of relational aggression as well as a victim of sexual harassment, compared to boys (Goldstein et al, 2020). Although peer influence did not predict sexual harassment perpetration for girls, findings nevertheless indicate that peer influence may be a unique risk factor worthy of further exploration.…”

“…Adolescents who lack support at home may seek support in peers to substitute for what is lacking at home. These youth may push limits to fit in with their peers, such as harassing others (Goldstein et al, 2020). In contrast, engaged and involved parents can buffer youth from perpetrating sexual harassment, but why this is particularly important for boys warrants further investigation.…”

The Social Cognitions of Victims of Bullying: A Systematic Review

“…One study seemed in line with the desensitization hypothesis, as persistent victimization did not relate to peer perception (Ladd & Troop-Gordon, 2003). A finding that did not fit any of the hypotheses was that victimization, especially for girls, related to thinking one's friends are susceptible to peer influence (Goldstein et al, 2020). Speculatively, this perception might relate to negative peer experiences where friends do not stand up for victimized youth and join in on negative behaviors of others in the peer group.…”

School Bullying Victimization and Associated Factors Among School-Aged Adolescents in China

“…Parental neglect could weaken adolescents' attachment to their parents and increase their risk of engaging in delinquent behaviors (Trickett et al, 2011). A previous study showed that when adolescents were neglected by their parents, they were easily influenced by deviant peers, which could increase the chances of relational and sexual victimization (Goldstein et al, 2020). Additionally, children who were neglected by their parents tended to perceive lower parental support or failed to deal with the negative psychological problems caused by bullying in a timely manner (Herráiz & Gutiérrez, 2016).…”