Effects of Childhood Peer Relations on the Quality of Adult Relationships

Effects of Childhood Peer Relations on the Quality of Adult Relationships
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Effects of Childhood Peer Relations on the Quality of Adult Relationships
Introduction and Literature Review
Introduction
One of the most studied topics in educational psychology is peer relations, which provides children with unique opportunities to learn emotional and social skills such as cooperation and empathy. While the family plays an integral role in a child’s life, early adolescence is characterized by the influence of peer relationships on emotional and social outcomes. As pointed out by Gifford-Smith and Brownell (2003), over 30% of a child’s social interactions encompass peers by middle childhood. Therefore, as the child grows towards adolescence, there is a growth of peer groups surrounding them, coupled with reduced adult supervision. The changes in the interactions of the child mean that new opportunities for emotional and social growth emerge. According to Blatchford et al. (2016), children who experience low peer acceptance or rejection are more likely to show high aggression levels, non-compliance, and poor social skills. The proposed research intends to find out whether the peer relations experienced during childhood affects the quality of relationships during adulthood.
Literature Review
Peer relations have been shown to have a significant effect on the development of children. As noted by Gifford-Smith and Brownell (2003), the activities that characterize friendship and peer group relations have an impact on the functioning and development in almost every aspect of the lives of children. The authors point out that how a child relates to their peers is associated with different aspects of development and adjustment. Furthermore, Blatchford and Baines (2010) point out that it is well established that peer relationships have significance for social and cognitive development. Blatchford et al. (2016) note that in studies that have focused on the long-term impact of peer difficulties, it has been found that lack of acceptance and aggression are associated with depression, lower academic achievement, and anxiety.
In a study by La Greca and Harrison (2005), the author investigated whether peer relations and friendship predicted depression and social anxiety. With a sample of 421 adolescents, the author examined the impact of adolescent peer crowds, peer victimization, romantic relationships, and best friendships on anxiety and depression. The authors found adolescents that who were allied to peer crowd demonstrated lower anxiety levels. It is also the findings of the authors that high relational victimization levels and lower best friendship qualities levels predicted social anxiety among the participants. The study also showed that relational victimization could lead to depressive symptoms. With anxiety and depression influencing how one interacts with other people, it can be hypothesized that childhood peer relations could have an impact on the quality of relationships adults have. In a study by Davies et al. (2021), it was found that childhood adversities predicted high levels of anxiety among university students. In this sense, the experiences that children go through could have an effect on how they turn out in adulthood.
Peer relationships and peer groups can have an impact on the development of one’s personality. According to a study by Reitz et al. (2014), as children advance in age, there is increased socialization with peer groups, which becomes an important personality development determinant. Supported by the group socialization theory, Reitz et al. (2014) point out that when peers are sustained beyond the adolescence stage, they account for a major part of one’s personality development. Through assimilation, a child can adopt the group’s behaviors, rules, feelings, and rules. In essence, when group-determined behaviors are sustained, it can result in personality trait development (Reitz et al., 2014). The authors also highlight how likability nominations impact personality development. The authors note that variation in likability nominations by classmates affects the self-esteem development of adolescents. Given that there exists a linkage between childhood peer relations and personality development, it can be deduced that the effect can advance to adulthood and impact the quality of one’s relationship.
Almost similar to the study by Reitz et al. (2014) is another research by Fletcher and Schurer (2017) that sought to examine the role childhood experiences play in influencing one’s personality. Specifically, the author examined the factors that influence the Big Five personality traits, and therefore, the research offers an insight into how one’s experiences as a child could be a factor in determining their personality during adulthood. It was the finding of the authors that the negative experiences of childhood can influence the development of their personality during adulthood. Therefore, with childhood experience having an impact on one’s personality during adulthood, it is deducible that one’s childhood peer relations could be a factor in influencing one’s personality during adulthood.
Another study by Daines et al. (2021) sought to examine the impact of childhood experiences on the health of the adult family. In this case, family health is characterized by factors such as functioning and routine, emotional support, communication, and problem-solving. The authors investigated the effects of childhood experiences, both and negative, on family health. The findings of the study indicate that negative childhood experiences were associated with the emotional and social processes of a family. Furthermore, the authors note that individuals with negative childhood experiences often experience depression and anxiety, which in turn affects how they process emotions and communicate and connect with other people. It is important to recognize how one processes emotions and communicates with others affects the quality of their relationships. Daines et al. (2021) note that negative childhood experiences may cause difficulties in relationships during adulthood. With negative childhood experiences being associated with difficulties in adult relationships, it can be deduced that when one’s peer relations are characterized by rejection or low acceptance, it can affect the quality of one’s adult relationships.
A key study that associated peer relations with adult experience is one by Gustafsson et al. (2012). In the study, the authors examined whether peer relations during adolescence had an impact on one’s health during adulthood. The author used teachers’ assessment of the student’s popularity among peers as well as isolation at the age of 16 as a score of peer problems. The findings of the study show that peer problems predicted the risk of metabolic syndrome durin...