The Relative Importance of Selected Communication Skills for Positive Peer Relations: American Adolescents’ Opinions

Abstract

Typically developing, American adolescents in Grade 10 ( n = 38) ranked the relative importance of 14 communication skills in their friends’ communication with them. The skills were considered those associated with figurative language (e.g., appropriate slang use), empathy (e.g., vocal tone comprehension), or discourse management (e.g., appropriate topic selection). Five skills emerged as more important and were primarily considered to be empathy-related communication skills. Four skills, representing a mix of figurative language and discourse management skills, were ranked as lower in importance. The remaining five skills were of intermediate or variable importance and a mix of discourse management and empathy-related communication skills. Results were similar to those of previous investigations with Australian adolescents. Adolescents’ gender did not result in different rankings. Knowing what adolescents opine to be more and less important communication skills for positive peer relationships can help speech-language pathologists decide on intervention objectives to improve adolescents’ peer relationships.