Social gaming--online gameplay involving digital interactions with others--is a common form of social media use among adolescents. Research on this topic has neglected the social aspect of gaming and the potential role of social gaming in adolescent development. In this article, we define social gaming, drawing on interdisciplinary theories to…

Background: Although positive youth development (PYD) programs have demonstrated effectiveness in improving adolescent reproductive health outcomes, there is a lack of evidence on effective school-based interventions designed especially for high school settings. This study examined the efficacy of Peer Group Connection (PGC-HS), a school-based PYD…

This study examined the effects of group art therapy on self-concept and peer relationships among adolescents using a mixed-method approach. Twelve recruited adolescents from a high school in Northern Taiwan attended weekly 2-h group art therapy sessions for 8 weeks. Through a discovery-oriented approach incorporating focus group interviews and…

After-school programs have been demonstrated or theorized to be associated with a wide variety of positive youth outcomes and have become a more widely-accepted aspect of the greater educational system. One of the most commonly-cited vehicles for these positive outcomes is relationships developed within the after-school program. This paper…

The purpose of the present study is to examine bullying perpetration and social intelligence (SI), which is a sociocognitive characteristic that has been proposed as a possible regulator of traditional and cyberbullying. We compared SI for perpetrators and nonperpetrators of traditional bullying and/or cyberbullying and examined longitudinal…

Borrowing a framework used to study adolescent peer groups, this chapter relates key findings from chapters in this volume to the status or reputation that peers accord a given organized activity, the tendency of activities to channel adolescents toward some relationships and away from others, and the context for peer interactions created within…

Self-determination is essential to promoting successful transitions for students with and without disabilities. Numerous studies have found that positive relationships are central to the ability to be self-determined, thus making relationship building a key area to address to promote successful transitions. This article provides information on…

This action research project was designed to have the majority of middle school students engage in healthy relationships with their peers and teachers as the data suggested the need for improved interactions with others. Students contributed to team building lessons; implemented school community service learning projects; participated in an…

Examined the validity of an observational assessment of adolescent social competence within a group interaction during a revealed differences task. Found that ratings of task enjoyment, involvement, leadership, self-confidence in task, and global social competence showed strong correlations to counselor ratings and peer sociometrics and were…

This discussion of underachievement in gifted high school males notes the high incidence of male underachievers and the common co-occurrence of poor social skills. Also considered are the beginnings of underachievement, the importance of the peer group in adolescent development, the importance of social skill development, and the prevention of…

Examined adolescents' perceptions of their daily conflicts in relationships with mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, romantic partners, and other peers and adults. Most adolescent conflicts were perceived as benign events with few positive or negative consequences for the relationship. Results suggest that adolescents recognize the fluidity and…

Using a journal format, this book invites teens to examine their lives and relationships with family, friends, classmates, and new acquaintances. The book focuses on physical, emotional, and sexual boundaries to relationships and uses stories of other teens to illustrate how personal space and feelings can be either respected or violated in…

Fifty-four adolescents, either with or without a sibling with a disability, completed questionnaires measuring self-efficacy, peer competence, and maternal attitudes toward and modeling of prosocial and empathic behavior. None of the measures differed significantly between those whose siblings did or did not have disabilities. Process-oriented…

In this study of 256 adolescents, it was expected that the group of adolescents referred for psychiatric treatment would have a narrower friendship network than the control group and that their friendship relations would be more conflictual and less rich in terms of attachment. The hypothesis was confirmed for the older referred adolescents. (TJQ)

Peer relationships play an important role in socialization during childhood and young adolescence. Negative relationships may pose multiple difficulties for children related to their development that can have lifelong influences. Research indicates that the quality of peer relationships is associated with a variety of outcomes, such as social…