title: Knowledge, use of and attitudes towards peer support: a 2-year follow-up to the Prince's Trust survey.
abstract: This present study investigated how school peer support systems studied 2 years earlier in a survey funded by The Prince's Trust have evolved. In all, 413 pupils (actual and potential users of the systems) aged 13-14 (Year 9--Y9) and 15-16 (Year 11--Y11), 34 teachers in charge of systems and 80 peer supporters in 35 secondary schools were interviewed using structured schedules for the pupils and semi-structured ones for the teachers and peer supporters. All of these interviews focussed on the respondents' perceptions and experiences of the school's peer support system, including: the perceived benefits to users of the system; benefits to peer supporters; problems with the system and the attempts made to overcome them. There was widespread support for the systems and a strong sense that both teachers and peer supporters were increasingly confident about the value of their service. However, some problems remain, notably with regard to gender. The study documents difficulties in the recruitment and retention of boys as peer supporters because of peer pressure to conform to a "macho" image. The issue is discussed and some solutions presented.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, University of Surey Roehampton, West Hill, London, UK. h.cowie@roehampton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cowie
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Talamelli
authors.forename: Preeti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom