A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF PEER AND TEACHER INFLUENCES ON PROSOCIAL AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF HONG KONG CHINESE ADOLESCENTS

The influences of peers and teachers on the prosocial and antisocial behavior of 56 Hong Kong Chinese adolescents were investigated over a two-year period (Time 1 and Time 2). Results indicated that (i) a significant decrease in teacher influence occurred from Time 1 to Time 2 in subjects studying Grade 7 at Time 1; (ii) students who maintained a relatively high level of delinquent behavior from Time 1 to Time 2 demonstrated significantly higher peer influence than did those who maintained a relatively low level of delinquent behavior in the time interval; (iii) concurrent positive correlation was found between peer influence and delinquent behavior at Time 1 and Time 2; (iv) delinquent behavior at Time 1 was negatively correlated with teacher influence at Time 1; and (v) peer influence was negatively correlated with teacher influence at Time 1.