Adolescents increasingly use online, peer-to-peer platforms as a site of identity exploration and development. Prior research suggests that experiences online can foster feelings of connection and belonging, as well as promote a willingness to engage in self-disclosure during a critical developmental period; however, only recently has research…

Bullying affects a substantial proportion of school pupils, and peer counselling services have been established to help tackle this problem. The present study aimed to further the understanding of why affected pupils do or do not choose to utilise this form of social support. Pupils ("N" = 99, aged 12-16 years) from the UK were asked…

Cross-age mentoring programs are peer helping programs in which high school students serve as mentors to younger children. The study in this article compared fall-to-spring changes on connectedness, attachment, and self-esteem between 46 teen mentors and 45 comparison classmates. Results revealed an association between serving as a cross-age peer…

The Teen Outreach Reproductive CHallenge (TORCH) is a peer education program that provides information on various topics relevant to adolescent sexual health to a diverse audience, ranging from teens to health care providers. This information is disseminated through various projects by a group of New York City high-school students who are…

Describes a counseling program whereby 12 selected high school students were trained as peer counselors to extend counseling services to a greater number of students. Results were favorable. (HMV)

Reports results from a study of a training program for adolescent peer counselors. Did not find that groups led by extensively trained peer counselors differed significantly in their verbal interactions from groups led by minimally trained peer counselors. (Author/ABB)

Defines Peer Helping as umbrella term covering variety of services and activities in various settings with diverse populations. Describes peer helping program and its purpose, training, supervision, and evaluation. Discusses benefits to youth of peer helping program (sense of individuality, ability to make friends, and participation in meaningful…

CHAMPS Peer Leadership is a program designed to prepare school and community teams that can empower youth to take responsibility for themselves and to prevent abusive behaviors. Students who can set goals, build teams, communicate, take self-responsibility, possess self-esteem, and feel empowered, also have the capability to respond positively to…

CHAMPS Peer Leadership is a program for the prevention of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, and other negative behaviors and issues facing children. The program asks children to take responsibility for themselves and make positive changes in their schools and communities. Students who have process skills such as goal setting, team building,…

Many researchers have linked peer counseling skills to skills necessary in acquiring friends. In order to examine the relationship between peer counseling training and friendship, peer counselor trainees' (N=167) expectations of friendship before and after peer counseling training were compared. Peer counselors' expectations of friendship were…

This paper describes a project that focuses on youth themselves as resources in meeting the problem of maltreatment of adolescents. The 4-part program consists of a youth-staffed hot line, a self-help group, an information pamphlet for recognizing maltreatment and a public awareness campaign. (Author/SE)

In peer-helping programs, a professional counselor or teacher trains a group of students who then help other students by listening, providing information, and referring them to others with the necessary expertise. Peer helpers can help improve the school climate by contributing to its health and security. Since 1979, Seattle's Natural Helpers…

During first year of operation, Teen Line (peer telephone listening service) received 2,270 calls, two-thirds of which were from females. Four percent of topics discussed dealt with crisis situations (suicide, physical abuse); 96 percent were concerned with issues such as peer relationships, family dynamics, and need to have someone "to talk to."…

Describes various health care initiatives at British Columbia secondary school, including substance-abuse-prevention program staffed by prevention counselor who "hangs out" with 25-75 adolescents daily; a peer counseling program called SHOUT (Students Helping Others Understand Troubles), an alternative education approach for students…

Investigated the effects of group assertive training on aggression in 48 male Black adolescents, and compared the effectiveness of professional and peer counselors. Results suggested that professional counselors and peer counselors are equally effective and that subjects who learn assertive responses will exhibit significantly less aggressive…