Peer Relations Among Immigrant Adolescents: Methodological Challenges and Key Findings

Abstract

Being integrated in a community and having supportive relationships is a key for positive development for children and youth. There is compelling evidence that relationships with peers play a large role in the development of childrenʹs cognitions, emotions, and behaviours. Knowledge on how to support positive peer relationships and to prevent negative ones can significantly contribute to successful social integration of immigrant youth in school, laying the cornerstone to becoming an accepted and fully participating citizen in the host country. Adopting a developmental socio-ecological perspective and considering basic ideas from acculturation psychology four empirical papers were collected for this section. The papers aim to better understand mechanisms of aggressive behaviour on the individual level and the class room level. In addition, the papers address important methodological issues related with hypotheses testing in general and immigrant studies.