Understanding Peer Pressure in Middle School

Many perceptions of adolescent peer pressure come through adult interpretation. This study focused on how adolescents themselves perceived peer pressure. A sample of 368 middle school students who had been identified by peers as belonging to one of six major school groups responded to a questionnaire measuring perceptions of peer pressure in five areas: involvement with peers, school involvement, family involvement, conformity to peer norms, and misconduct. Findings showed that peer pressure differed in strength by domain and that the degree to which pressures were felt varied by crowd. Results provided insight into adolescents' perceptions of peer pressure in middle school and prompted suggestions for helping young adolescents manage peer pressure more effectively.