A Contextual Analysis of Peer Experiences during Early Adolescence

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Teenagers’ relationships with their peers greatly affect their well-being. Studies have shown that being bullied leads to several psychological difficulties whereas friendship can foster well-being. Although there is much research on bullying and friendship, it is rare to find studies that (1) investigate multiple online and in-person locations where bullying occurs and friends interact; (2) contrast the impact of bullying and friendship experiences that occur during the summer and the school year; and (3) compare the impact of bullying and friendship experiences that occur in different locations and different times (e.g., bullying that occurs during the week versus the weekend, during the school year versus the summer). Research conducted during the summer months is especially rare as is work that fully captures the online worlds in which youth reside today. This project is among the first to thoroughly evaluate how location (both online and in-person locations) and time (summer months and the school year) impacts young adolescents’ friendship and bullying experiences and their impact on psychological health. The study design entails online data collection via survey and daily diaries from 300 socioeconomically and ethnically diverse young adolescents at three time-points during a single school year and summer. There are three aims. The first aim evaluates the features of adolescent friendship and bullying experiences in different locations and during different time periods. The second aim tests whether the impact of such friendship and bullying experiences on positive and negative psychological outcomes depend on the location and time during which they occur. The third aim examines effects of gender, socio-economic status, and ethnicity on the peer experiences. The work captures important contextual differences in the features and impact of adolescents’ friendship and bullying experiences. Findings validate core developmental theories and facilitate new understanding about the where, when, and what of friendship and bullying experiences. Future researchers can use the findings to develop new intervention efforts that focus on reducing risk for victimization and encouraging positive exchanges with friends to have the greatest impact.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.