Relationships among personal space boundaries, peer acceptance, and peer reputation in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
Peer relationships are important to the health of adolescents who are at a developmental period of moving from parental influence to potentially dangerous peer influence. Interpersonal communication processes are logical antecedents of peer relationships. However, research in this area with adolescent populations is limited.


METHODS
Exploratory descriptive study using observational technique to collect nonverbal and verbal communication data on adolescents (N = 28). Observer ratings of personal boundaries and peer acceptance were correlated with anonymous peer ratings of sociability/leadership, aggressiveness/disruptiveness, and sensitivity/isolation, with comparisons made between males and females.


RESULTS
Boundaries are related to peer acceptance and peer reputation and are interpreted differently in males and females.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides beginning evidence of the usefulness of Personal Space Boundary Theory in understanding adolescent behavior.
Stiles
Anne Scott
AS
Texas Woman's University College of Nursing, Denton, Texas, USA. astiles@twu.edu
Raney
Thomas J
TJ
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012919:Social Behavior; D012928:Social Desirability; D012933:Social Identification