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ABSTRACT
This study explored three aspects of peer group membership in adolescence: peer group affiliation, the importance of group membership, and a sense of peer group belonging. Each is considered in relationship to adolescents' behavior problems as measured by the Achenbach Youth Self-Report. Participants included an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 733 adolescents ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. Girls reported more internalizing problems and boys reported more externalizing problems. Girls also reported a higher sense of peer group belonging than boys. When controlling for adolescent age, gender, ethnicity, parent's educational level, and family structure, a sense of peer group belonging was negatively related to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Adolescents who viewed peer group membership as very important to them and had a positive sense of peer group belonging had significantly fewer behavior problems than those who viewed peer group membership as very important but did not have a positive sense of peer group belonging.
Human beings are social animals; they mature over a long period in dyadic, small group, and other group contexts. Thus, it is not surprising that a growing body of evidence suggests that people are healthier and happier when they experience social belonging. Conversely, exclusion and social isolation are perceived as painful and are associated with a variety of negative affective experiences including anxiety, depression, anger, and shame (MacDonald & Leary, 2005). A powerful theme in developmental literature is the importance of early attachments and integration in a warm, responsive parent-child relationship for positive mental health. As the radius of significant relationships expands from childhood to adolescence, a sense of peer group membership is likely to develop. The purpose of the present study is to explore the relationship of three aspects of peer group membership-peer group affiliation, the importance of peer group membership, and a sense of peer group belonging to behavior problems in adolescence.
GROUP BELONGING
A sense of group belonging is a psychological construct (Kiesner, Cardinu, Poulin, & Bucci, 2002; Stone & Brown, 1999). Adolescents participate in a complex social environment populated by many friendship groups, cliques, and crowds. The desire to belong to a group may influence an adolescent's behavior well before he or she is actually a member of the group. Individuals...