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Adolescent Peer Social Competence

A Critical Review of Assessment Methodologies and Instruments

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Advances in Clinical Child Psychology

Part of the book series: Advances in Clinical Child Psychology ((ACCP,volume 16))

Abstract

An important social task for all individuals, but especially for adolescents, is the development and maintenance of positive peer relations. Friendships play an increasingly important role in socialization during adolescence with family ties typically becoming less important as relationships with peers assume greater significance (Bell, 1981; Berndt, 1982). Researchers (e.g., Bell, 1981; Douvan & Adelson, 1966; Kon & Losenkov, 1978) have found that adolescents consistently rate their friends as being more important than parents and other family members in terms of understanding, emotional support, companionship, and approval. Furthermore, researchers suggest that positive peer relations in adolescence are essential to the development of skills, foster a sense of belonging, and are important precursors to behavioral and emotional adjustment (e.g., Csikszentmihalyi & Larson, 1984; Kelly & Hansen, 1987).

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Inderbitzen, H.M. (1994). Adolescent Peer Social Competence. In: Ollendick, T.H., Prinz, R.J. (eds) Advances in Clinical Child Psychology. Advances in Clinical Child Psychology, vol 16. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9041-2_8

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