The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship
This study investigated the characteristics and development of peer support networks in an effort to unravel the role of friendship in this developmental process. The relationships between friendship networks and peer support networks were explored, and the influence of dyadic and triadic friendship...
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doaj-603d7624bfe844bcbc95187457ba02a82021-01-28T04:36:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-01-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.615148615148The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of FriendshipLingfei Wang0Lichan Liang1Lichan Liang2Lichan Liang3Zhengguang Liu4Keman Yuan5Jiawen Ju6Yufang Bian7Yufang Bian8Yufang Bian9Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaChild and Family Education Research Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Mental Health and Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaChild and Family Education Research Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Mental Health and Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, ChinaThis study investigated the characteristics and development of peer support networks in an effort to unravel the role of friendship in this developmental process. The relationships between friendship networks and peer support networks were explored, and the influence of dyadic and triadic friendships on the development of peer support relationships was examined. Two waves of data were collected among a sample of adolescents in six Chinese junior high schools (n = 913 students from 28 classrooms; mean age = 14.13 years; 50.49% boys), and classroom friendship networks and peer support networks were analyzed. The results showed that peer support networks were sparse, hierarchical, and sex-segregated. Furthermore, peer support networks and friendship networks partially overlapped. Friends tended to have similar support-seeking and support-providing ties. Longitudinal multiplex social network analysis revealed that peer support networks changed moderately over time, and friendships played various roles in the development of peer support networks. Dyadic friendships improved the formation of peer support ties. A mutual friend improved the formation of support relationships between two students when the mutual friend chose the two students as friends, but a mutual friend also hindered or had no effects on the formation of support relationships in other cases. The implications for educators to improve peer support networks are presented, and directions for future research are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.615148/fullpeer supportfriendshippeer support networksocial network analysisadolescents |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Lingfei Wang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Zhengguang Liu Keman Yuan Jiawen Ju Yufang Bian Yufang Bian Yufang Bian |
spellingShingle |
Lingfei Wang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Zhengguang Liu Keman Yuan Jiawen Ju Yufang Bian Yufang Bian Yufang Bian The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship Frontiers in Psychology peer support friendship peer support network social network analysis adolescents |
author_facet |
Lingfei Wang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Lichan Liang Zhengguang Liu Keman Yuan Jiawen Ju Yufang Bian Yufang Bian Yufang Bian |
author_sort |
Lingfei Wang |
title |
The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship |
title_short |
The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship |
title_full |
The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship |
title_fullStr |
The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Developmental Process of Peer Support Networks: The Role of Friendship |
title_sort |
developmental process of peer support networks: the role of friendship |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
This study investigated the characteristics and development of peer support networks in an effort to unravel the role of friendship in this developmental process. The relationships between friendship networks and peer support networks were explored, and the influence of dyadic and triadic friendships on the development of peer support relationships was examined. Two waves of data were collected among a sample of adolescents in six Chinese junior high schools (n = 913 students from 28 classrooms; mean age = 14.13 years; 50.49% boys), and classroom friendship networks and peer support networks were analyzed. The results showed that peer support networks were sparse, hierarchical, and sex-segregated. Furthermore, peer support networks and friendship networks partially overlapped. Friends tended to have similar support-seeking and support-providing ties. Longitudinal multiplex social network analysis revealed that peer support networks changed moderately over time, and friendships played various roles in the development of peer support networks. Dyadic friendships improved the formation of peer support ties. A mutual friend improved the formation of support relationships between two students when the mutual friend chose the two students as friends, but a mutual friend also hindered or had no effects on the formation of support relationships in other cases. The implications for educators to improve peer support networks are presented, and directions for future research are discussed. |
topic |
peer support friendship peer support network social network analysis adolescents |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.615148/full |
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