Adolescents’ Characteristics and Peer Relationships in Class: A Population Study

Elisa Cavicchiolo, Fabio Lucidi, Pierluigi Diotaiuti, Andrea Chirico, Federica Galli, Sara Manganelli, Monica D’Amico, Flavia Albarello, Laura Girelli, Mauro Cozzolino, Maurizio Sibilio, Arnaldo Zelli, Luca Mallia, Sara Germani, Tommaso Palombi, Dario Fegatelli, Marianna Liparoti, Laura Mandolesi and Fabio Alivernini
Additional contact information
Elisa Cavicchiolo: Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Fabio Lucidi: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Pierluigi Diotaiuti: Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy
Andrea Chirico: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Federica Galli: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00185 Rome, Italy
Sara Manganelli: National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (INVALSI), 00153 Rome, Italy
Monica D’Amico: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Flavia Albarello: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Laura Girelli: Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Mauro Cozzolino: Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Maurizio Sibilio: Department of Human, Philosophical and Educational Sciences, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Arnaldo Zelli: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00185 Rome, Italy
Luca Mallia: Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00185 Rome, Italy
Sara Germani: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Tommaso Palombi: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Dario Fegatelli: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Marianna Liparoti: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Laura Mandolesi: Department of Humanities, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80133 Naples, Italy
Fabio Alivernini: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-19

Abstract: Background: This study aimed to investigate differences in adolescents’ social relationships with classmates of diverse gender, socioeconomic status, immigrant background, and academic achievement. Methods: A population of 10th-grade students (N = 406,783; males = 50.3%; M age = 15.57 years, SD age = 0.75) completed the Classmates Social Isolation Questionnaire (CSIQ), an instrument specifically designed to measure two distinct but correlated types of peer relationships in class: peer acceptance and peer friendship. To obtain reliable comparisons across diverse adolescent characteristics, the measurement invariance of the CSIQ was established by means of CFAs and then latent mean differences tests were performed. Results: Immigrant background, academic achievement, and socioeconomic status all proved to be important factors influencing relationships with classmates, while being a male or a female was less relevant. Being a first-generation immigrant adolescent appears to be the foremost risk factor for being less accepted by classmates, while having a low academic achievement is the greatest hindrance for having friends in the group of classmates, a finding that diverges from previous studies. Conclusions: This population study suggests that adolescent characteristics (especially immigrant background, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement) seem to affect social relationships with classmates.

Keywords: academic achievement; classmates; CSIQ; gender; immigrant background; latent variables; peer acceptance; peer friendship; social relationships with peers; socioeconomic status (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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