Max Smith, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – If your kids are arguing with you, you may feel like you’ve raised them wrong, but in fact, it could be a sign you’re doing it right.
University of Virginia researchers say 7th and 8th graders who stick to their guns on an issue they have with their moms are more likely to resist peer pressure over the next few years than those who back down from their position over something like grades or household rules.
The new study in by the journal Child Development finds parents who are very supportive when their teen comes to them asking for advice can also lower the likelihood that the teen will give in to peer pressure.
“It may be that teens who are secure in their ability to turn to their mothers under stress are less likely to end up feeling overly dependent upon their close friends and thus less likely to be influenced by their friend’s behavior,” the authors write.
However, that means they’re less open to good peer pressure too.
The study also finds that the more others in the class like a teen’s closest friend, the more influence that friend will have on whether the teen uses alcohol or drugs.
The researchers looked at a diverse group of 157 7th and 8th graders at a single school, following them until they were 16 years old.
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