Child and Adolescent Social Work Joumai Volume 14, Number 6, December 1997

Peer Group Acceptance and Academic Performance Among Adolescents Participating in a Dropout Prevention Program

Kathryn Walters, M.S.W., and Gary L. Bowen, Ph.D., A.C.S.W.

ABSTRACT) This investigation examines the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance among adolescents participating in a dropout prevention program. Tbree variables assessing school-related attitudes and behavior are identified as potential links between peer group acceptance and academic performance and tbe results are examined in tbe context of tbe gender and racial/etbnic group identification of adolescent respondents. Peer group acceptance is found to bave an indirect rather tban a direct influence on academic achievement. Tbe bebavior variable, avoidance of problem bebavior, provides tbe strongest patb of connection between peer group acceptance and academic performance. Implications of tbe findings for social work practice in tbe scbool setting are discussed.

Peers form an important microsystem for adolescents and play an important role in tbeir identity formation and in tbe socialization process (East, Lemer, Lemer, Soni, & Jacobson, 1992). Yet, not all adolescents are able to gain acceptance into a peer group. Tbey may be excluded from peer-related activities and bave few or no friends for support and encouragement. In some situations, tbey may be ignored
This article was prepared with grant support from the BellSouth Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Knight Foundation in Miami, Florida for development and pilot testing of the School Success Profile. Gary L. Bowen and Jack M. Richman are coprincipal investigators. Kathiyn Walters, M.S.W., is a 1996 graduate of the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Gary L. Bowen is Kenan Distinguished Professor, School of Social Work, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Address correspondence to Gary L. Bowen, 301 Pittsboro St., CB #3550, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550. 413 1997 Human Sciences Press, Inc.

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by their peers; in others, they may be actively made fun of and treated with little or no respect. The ability to successfully negotiate peer group relationships is one indicator of an adolescent's social competency (Hepler, 1994), which has been associated with self-directed behavior (Ford, 1982; Reed, 1994). From a social competency perspective, it is likely that students who have difficulty establishing themselves in a peer group may also have academic difficulties in school (Wentzel, 1991). This investigation examines both the direct and the indirect relationship between the subjective perceptions that adolescents have about their peer group acceptance and their self-reported academic performance in school. Information about the nature and path of this relationship has important implications for school social workers. Effective social intervention requires an understanding of variables that influence school-related outcomes, like acadehiic achievement. Peer relationships are an accessible and changeable focal point for social work interventions in the schools (Gottlieb, 1991). Background Review Academic performance is an important indicator of school success. It is not only associated with high school completion, but also the ability to successfully transition into adult roles, to achieve economic selfsufficiency, and to become a productive member of the community (Hodgkinson, 1991; U.S. General Accounting OfGce, 1993). Studies suggest that students who feel accepted by their peers are better able to meet academic challenges (Wentzel & Asher, 1995). Yet, limited attention has been given to the influences that may bridge this relationship. For example, rejection or negative experiences in the peer group over time are likely to erode an adolescent's level of self confidence and promote disruptive behaviors at school, which, in tum, are associated with a decline in academic performance (Hepler, 1994; Wentzel & Asher, 1995). Three variables assessing school-related attitudes and behavior are defined in the present analysis as forming an indirect path of influence between peer group acceptance and academic performance: sense of school coherence, school influence, and avoidance of problem behavior. An indirect path of influence is supported when peer group acceptance positively influences one of the three school-related attitudes and behavior which, in tum, positively influence academic perfor-

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mance. Each of these variables is expected to be positively influenced by peer group acceptance and to have a direct and positive effect on academic performance (see Figure 1). The sense of school coherence was defined based on the work of Antonovsky (1987). It reflects the degree to which students find their school environment comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. The second variable, school influence, is informed by Bandura's (1986) concept of self-efficacy. It reflects the belief by students that they can be recognized and create an effect in the school environment (e.g., have their ideas listened to in class). Integration into a peer group is likely to help adolescents develop a high level of school coherence and confidence in their ability to influence their presenting situations and to achieve desired outcomes, such as academic performance (Hepler, 1994; Keefe & Bemdt, 1996; Kemple, 1991; Wentzel, 1991). Last, research has shown that children who are accepted by their peers are more inclined to follow rules and stay out of trouble (Wentzel & Asher, 1995), which is likely associated with higher academic performance. A variable that captures such behavior, avoidance of problem behavior, is entered into the analysis as a third potential bridge between peer group acceptance and academic performance. The relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance may vary by the gender and race/ethnicity of the student. As a consequence, this relationship is examined within four groups of adolescents: African-American males, white males, African-American females, and white females. Although females report fewer contacts with their peers than males, they are more likely than males to assign importance to these relationships and to seek help from peers in Sense of School Coherence Peer Group Acceptance '^ + ^ School Influence Avoidance Problem Behavior FIGURE 1. Path diagram of the expected relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance. + ^ ^ Academic Performance

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times of difficulty (Dennehy & Mortimer, 1993; Gottheb, 1991; Slavin & Rainer, 1990; Tourville & Bowen, 1994). While the race/ethnicity of the student has been shown to be associated with academic success, available research suggests that this relationship is explained largely by the association between socioeconomic status and academic outcomes (Richman & Bowen, 1997; Wehlage & Rutter, 1986). Still, as a proxy variable, race/ethnicity captures relevant group effects that are associated with race/ethnicity and are related to variation in academic performance. Because of the association between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, the socioeconomic standing of the student as determined by the receipt of school lvinch is controlled for in the analysis. Available research suggests that peer group acceptance may be associated with poorer academic performance among adolescents from lower socioeconomic homes (Cauce, Felner, & Primavera, 1982; Luther, 1995). The level of "social toxicity" (Garbarino, 1995) in many lower socioeconomic neighborhoods creates a poor context for individual development and the formation of peer relationships that encourage academic success (DuRent, Getts, Cadenhead, Emans, & Woods, 1995). Low-income parents may have less time and fewer resources than higher socioeconomic parents to supervise their children and to provide them with structured recreational and social activities (Garbarino, 1992). In these situations, peers may play a more active and determining role in influencing the academic performance of adolescents. Method
Source of Data

Data for this analysis were collected during the 1995-1996 academic year from 665 students across 21 middle and high schools in North Carolina and Florida. Ranging in age from 10 to 20 years, the students were all participants in the Communities In Schools Program (CIS). As the largest U.S. public-private partnership in the nation for dropout prevention, CIS currently has programs in more than 261 communities across 28 states. All student participants in CIS have been identified by a school official or human service professional in the community as "at risk" of school failure. Although the demographic profiles of these students vary, a large proportion of them come from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and homes. In part, this student profile reflects the communities from which CIS identifies schools for program imple-

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mentation. The profile also reflects the demography of students most vulnerable to school failure (Rumberger, 1987). These data were collected to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of The School Success Profile (SSP) (Richman & Bowen, 1997), a survey instrument that yields profiles on the social environment and individual adaptation of each student who completes the survey. These schools were purposely selected by CIS representatives because of the strength of their programs and their willingness to participate in the evaluation. The population of students who were participating in the CIS program at the 21 project sites were targeted to participate in the baseline assessment ( A T = 1049). Yet, only students who retumed signed parent permission forms to CIS representatives at their respective schools were eligible to complete the SSP. On average, 63% of students {n = 665) across the 21 schools completed the SSP. Information is not available that compares participants with nonparticipants. Once parent permission was obtained, students who refused to complete the SSP were a rare exception. Sample Profile Of the 665 students who completed surveys, the present analysis focuses on a more restricted sample of 527. Only students who reported their racial/ethnic identification as African-American or white were included in the analysis. Fewer than 10% of the students reported a racial/ethnic identification other than African-American or white. An additional 61 cases were dropped because of missing data on selective variables used in the analysis. On average, student respondents were 13.7 years old. Most (60.6%) were middle school students (6th-8th grade), and they were nearly evenly split between males (48.0%) and females (52.0%). Nearly six out of ten respondents reported their race/ethnicity as Black/AfricanAmerican (57.5%); the remaining students in the sample described themselves as white, nonHispanic (42.5%). Over one-half of the respondents reported receiving free or reduced price lunch at school (57.5%). Data Collection In most cases, the SSP was administered to students in a group setting. Yet, because of student absenteeism, some students completed the survey at a separate time. In all cases, survey administration was monitored by a CIS site coordinator who had participated in a manda-

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tory training session that included instruction on the administration of the School Success Profile (SSP). Students took approximately 30 minutes on average to complete the survey. The SSP contains 265 close-ended items and includes six major sections that reflect an ecological perspective: About You, Neighborhood, School, Friends, Family, and Health and Well-Being. It is administered in an 11-page booklet. The SSP has received extensive field testing over the last three years, including reviews by: child development experts; school officials and teachers; CIS representatives at the national, state, and local levels; and student representatives. Measures Five primary measures were used in the analysis: academic achievement, peer group acceptance, sense of school coherence, school influence, and avoidance of problem behavior. All measures were coded such that the higher the value, the more positive the interpretation. Table 1 provides descriptive statistics for all measures in the analysis, including alpha coefficients for composite measures. Three items were combined to assess the students' academic performance. The first item asks students to report the kind of grades that they made on their most recent report card. Responses were recoded to range from 1 (Mostly D's and F's) to 5 (Mostly A's and B's). The second item asks students to report the number of D's and F's that

TABLE 1 Descriptive Statistics for Measures in the Analysis (n=527)

Measure Gender (1 = female) Race/ethnicity (1 = Nonwhite) School Lunch (l=Yes) Peer Group Acceptance Sense of School Coherence School Influence Avoid Problem Behavior Academic Performance Range 0-1 0-1 0-1 14-42 11-27 0-5 5-15 3-12 Mean .52 .58 .58 34.01 19.74 3.51 12.99 8.72 SD .50 .50 .50 4.89 3.40 1.35 2.00 2.50 Items 1 1 1 14 9 5 5 3 Alpha N/A N/A

N/A
.75 .68 .62 .68 .77

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they made on their most recent report card, recoded from 1 (None) to 4 (Three or More). The last item asks students to compare their grades to other students in their classes with responses recoded from 1 (Worse than Most) to 3 (Better than Most). These items were combined to form a summary scale that ranges from 3 to 12, with higher scores indicating higher academic performance. Self-reported grades have been supported in prior research as a valid measure of academic performance (Domhursh, Ritter, Leiderman, Roberts, & Fraleigh, 1987; Paulson, 1996). The relative acceptance of adolescents by their peer group was assessed by 14 items that described various aspects of peer relations (e.g., "I am afraid to do things my friends won't approve of," "I find it difficult to be myself when I am with my friends," "I worry about letting my friends down," "I wish my friends would show me more respect"). Each item was evaluated on a 3-point response continuum: "A Lot Like Me," "A Little Like Me," and "Not Like Me," which was recomputed to range from low to high. Items were summed, resulting in a scale with a range from 14 to 42. A nine-item scale was used to assess the degree to which students find events at school comprehensible, meaningful, and manageable. Example items include "I find school fun and exciting," "I look forward to leaming new things at school," and "I am able to overcome difficulties at school." Each item was rated on a 3-point continuum from "A Lot Like Me" to "Not Like Me." A summary score from 9 to 27 was created, ranging from low to high sense of coherence. Each student's perception of his or her infiuence over events at school was measured by a five-item summary scale. Feeling validated for ideas in class, ability to get the attention of the teacher in class, and being able to get help from a teacher when needed are example items. Students responded to each item as either "Difficult" or "Easy," and the number of "Easy" responses were counted to create a summary score from 0 to 5. The avoidance of problem behavior was measured byfiveitems that assessed how often during the past 30 days respondents got into trouble at school or failed to tum in their school work. Items include being sent out of class for misbehavior, fighting with another student, and being suspended or expelledfi"omschool. Students respond either 1 (Never), 2 (Once or Twice), or 3 (More than Twice). Responses were recoded to range from negative to positive and a summary score was created ranging from 5 to 15. One single-item variable, school lunch, was included as a control

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variable in the analysis. Consistent with the work of Kupersmidt et al. (1995), the receipt of school lunch was used as a proxy indicator of lower family socioeconomic level. Federal guidelines mandate that students are eligible for a subsidized school lunch when their famil^s income is at or below 130% of the federal poverty level, which is adjusted for family size. Students are eligible for a reduced price school lunch when their family's income is above 130% of the poverty level but at or below 180% of this standard (Bowen & Chapman, 1996). Data Analysis Two stages of data analysis were conducted to determine both the direct and indirect relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance for each of the four groups of students. Each involved the use of simultaneous multiple regression procedures. In the first stage, academic achievement was regressed on the school lunch, the three variables assessing school-related attitudes and behavior, and peer group acceptance. In the second stage of analysis, three separate regressions were run to assess the direct effect of peer group acceptance on the three variables that were expected to bridge the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance: sense of school coherence, school infiuence, and avoidance of problem behavior. In each of these analyses, the direct effect of peer group acceptance was estimated after controlling for school lunch. A .05 level of statistical significance was used to evaluate results from these analyses. Results from the bivariate correlation analysis and coUinearity diagnostics revealed little dependency between independent and control variables in the analysis. Results The results from the first stage of the analysis were generally similar for the four groups of student participants. First, peer group acceptance did not have a significant direct infiuence on the academic performance for any student group beyond the contribution of other variables in the analysis. Second, in each of the analyses, at least one of the school-related attitudes and behavior variables was directly and positively associated with academic performance. Third, avoidance of problem behavior had a strong and statistically significant infiuence on the academic performance of each student group. Its infiuence was particularly strong in the model for white females; more than twice as

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.30

Sense of School Coherence School Influence Avoidance Problem Behavior Academic Performance

Peer Group Acceptance

"^ .25^ _

FIGURE 2. Path diagram of the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic peformance for African-American males (n = 138). Note: All path coefficients (standardized beta) are statistically significant at the .05 level. large as its influence in the model for African-American males.' In addition, students in three of the four groups who reported a higher sense of school coherence also reported higher academic performance. The only exception was in the model for white males. On the other hand, no relationship was found between feelings of influence at Sense of School Coherence Peer Group Acceptance .29 >^ ^ School Influence Avoidance Problem Behavior FIGURE 3. Path diagram of the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance for white males (n=115). Note: All path coefficients (standardized beta) are statistically significant at the .05 level.
'The magnitude of an effect can be compared across groups by examining tbe standardized beta coefficients in each analysis.

Academic Performance

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Sense of School Coherence Peer Group Acceptance ^ .24 ^ ^ ^ School Influence

^ .17 Academic Performance

Avoidance Problem Behavior FIGURE 4. Path diagram of the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance for African-American females (n = 165). Note: All path coefficients (standardized beta) are statistically significant at the .05 level. school and academic performance for any of the groups. The receipt of school lunch was also not significantly related to the level of academic performance in any of the analyses. Overall, the model examined in the first stage of analysis was most predictive of the academic performance of white females.'' The results from the second stage of the analysis suggested that peer group acceptance exerts an indirect rather than a direct path of Sense of School Coherence Peer Group Acceptance ^ . 3 3 ^^ ^ School Influence Avoidance Problem Behavior Academic Performance

y\44

FIGURE 5. Path diagram of the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance for white females (n = 109). Note: All path coefficients (standardized beta) are statistically significant at the .05 level.
^As determined by the amount of variance (R^) explained by each of the models, wbich ranged from a low of .12 for African-American males to .41 for white females.

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influence on the level of academic performance. In each group analysis, peer group acceptance made a statistically significant and unique contribution to at least two of the three variables assessing school-related attitudes and behavior. African-American females and white females who reported greater peer group acceptance felt a stronger sense of school coherence, greater influence at school, and reported more avoidance of problem behavior at school. This pattem of influence was particularly strong in the model for African-American females. Among African-American males and white males, greater peer acceptance was significantly related to only two of the three school-related attitudes and behavior: school sense of coherence and avoidance of prohlem hehavior in the case of African-American males, and school influence and avoidance of problem hehavior in the case of white males. Although greater peer group acceptance was related to higher levels of influence at school in the models for three of the four groups, the path of influence did not proceed further. As reported above, school influence did not have a direct relationship with academic performance for any group. In only one case did the receipt of school lunch have an influence in the second stage of analysis. White females who received subsidized lunches had a higher sense of school coherence than those who did not. Overall, the comhined effects of peer group acceptance and school lunch explained hetween 4% to 23% of the variability in the three school related attitudes and behavior variables. In general, peer group acceptance exerted a stronger influence on the school-related attitudes and behavior of females than males. This was especially the case for African-American females. In sum, when the results from the two stages of analyses are considered together, the influence of peer group acceptance on academic performance appears indirect rather than direct. Its influence is exerted through one or more of the school-related attitudes and behavior variables. Although the nature and strength of this path of influence vary by respondent group, peer group acceptance appears to exert its strongest influence on achievement performance through increasing the likelihood that adolescents will avoid prohlem behavior at school.

Conclusions and Discussion Consistent with a social competency perspective, the findings from this study suggest that adolescents who are able to successfully engage into peer groups evidence higher academic performance. Impor-

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tantly, this relationship is indirect rather than direct, operating through the adolescent's school-related attitudes and behavior. These findings align with Rossi's (1994) statement that "A student's peer group will almost certainly be a powerful influence on attitudes and behaviors in school, since status and acceptance from others in the same age group become very important from early adolescence through young adulthood" (pp. 32-33). The results suggest that peer group acceptance may be particularly important in influencing the academic performance of females. This finding is consistent with prior research which suggests that females assign greater importance to friendships as a source of social support. Overall, the model examined was least predictive of the academic performance of white males, suggesting that peer group acceptance has fewer implications for the academic performance of these students. Although the nature and strength of the links between peer group acceptance and academic performance varied across the four groups, in general, peer group acceptance exerted its strongest link to academic performance through helping students avoid getting into trouble at school. It is important for school social workers to develop interventions which help adolescents develop or maintain peer relationships that promote healthy social development, self-efficacy, self control, and high academic performance. Research has shown that asserting adult influence or guidance into negative peer interactions in the school setting can alter relationships in a positive manner (Olweus, 1994). Interventions that focus on interpersonal skill development, along with those that focus on breaking down social status barriers between student groups and promoting a peer culture of respect and appreciation, are likely to be particularly effective (Hepler, 1994). Results from the present investigation suggest that such interventions are particularly likely to be effective with females who are identified "at risk" of school failure. Given the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance, schools must carefully consider policies that restrict students from participating in sports and social activities that encourage relationships with peers because of poor academic performance. Studies suggest that children who actively participate in social activities with peers also experience less depression and report feeling healthier than more isolated children (Vilhjalmsson, 1994). Special socialization groups may need to he sponsored for students who have a particularly difficult time integrating into a peer group.

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Similar efforts may need to be directed toward teaching adolescents with high peer group status greater empathy and tolerance for those who have difficulty achieving peer group acceptance (Hepler, 1994). This investigation was limited in focus to adolescents who were participating in a program to prevent school dropout. They had been identified as "at risk" to school failure by a school official or human service professional in the community. As a consequence, caution is recommended before generalizing these findings to other groups of students. Additional research is needed that examines the relationship between peer group acceptance and academic performance among students who are not participating in special "at risk" programs. Longitudinal research that tracks cohorts of students over time is needed to better estimate the causal path between peer group acceptance and academic performance. Effective social work interventions depend on understanding such causal linkages. It is also recommended that additional research examine the infiuence of peer group acceptance on the academic performance of adolescents in the context of other potential infiuences, including the nature of the parent-children relationship, the academic culture in the home setting, and the support and encouragement that students receive from teachers at school. The present findings provide a foundation for testing more elaborate models that have important implications for informing the work of school social workers. References
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