title: The Potential Protective Role of Peer Relationships on School Engagement in At-Risk Adolescents.
abstract: Negative outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences are well established, but little is known about protective factors that could promote positive adjustment among high-risk youth. This study examined the potential protective role of positive peer relationships in the association between adverse childhood experiences and school engagement among at-risk adolescents. Data were collected prospectively from birth until age 16 from 831 diverse adolescents (52.6% female; 54% African American, 24% Caucasian) who were at-risk for family violence and their caregivers. The significant and negative associations between adversities and school engagement outcomes at age 16 were mitigated by peer intimacy and companionship and exacerbated by peer conflict. The findings underscore the importance of fostering positive peer relationships for improving school engagement among at-risk adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, USA. jmose022@fiu.edu.|Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, USA. jmose022@fiu.edu.
authors.forename: Jacqueline O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, USA.|Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, USA.
authors.forename: Miguel T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Villodas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D065840:Protective Factors; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012574:Schools; D014481:United States
keywords: ACEs; Adolescents; Adversity; Peer relationships; Protective factor; School engagement