Turkish high school students’ susceptibility to peer pressure as a function of religiosity, self-esteem, and autonomy

Abstract

This study examined high school Turkish adolescents’ susceptibility to peer pressure across four domains (family, peer, school, and misconduct) as a function of religiosity (extrinsic/intrinsic), self-esteem, and self-perceived level of autonomy. Further analysis examined religiosity in the context of educational institutions (religious/non-religious) and its relationship with peer pressure susceptibility. A non-random convenience sampling method generated a sample of 259 students enrolled in the 9(n=168) and 11(n=89) grades at three high schools in Istanbul, Turkey, with an average age of 15.78 years (SD=1.11). A series of multiple hierarchical regression analyses and correlational analyses indicated several sex differences across domains and highlighted the importance of religiosity to understanding adolescent peer pressure susceptibility. Self-esteem was the most consistent predictor of susceptibility to peer pressure in the four domains.