Peer Crowd Affiliation Research Articles

Young adult peer crowds, e-cigarette advertising exposure, and e-cigarette use: Test of a mediation model

BackgroundYoung people often make lifestyle choices or engage in behaviors, including tobacco product use, based on the norms of peer crowds they affiliate with. Peer crowds are defined as reputation-based peer groups centered around lifestyle norms (e.g., Hipster, Surfer, Hip Hop). This study examined the effects of peer crowd affiliation on e-cigarette use via increased exposure to e-cigarette advertising and increased social network e-cigarette use. MethodData were collected from 1398 ethnically diverse young adults (Mean age = 22.3; SD = 3.2; 62% women) in six-month intervals over one year. Path analyses were used to test a mediation model in which advertising exposure and social network e-cigarette use at six-month follow-up were specified to mediate the effects of baseline peer crowd affiliation on current e-cigarette use at one-year follow-up. ResultsAffiliations with Popular-Social and Alternative peer crowds at baseline were associated with higher e-cigarette advertising exposure at six-month follow-up. Affiliation with Popular-Social peer crowd at baseline was associated with increased social network e-cigarette use at six-month follow-up. Affiliation with Popular-Social peer crowds at baseline was found to have a statistically significant indirect effect on increased e-cigarette use at one-year follow-up via increased e-cigarette advertising exposure at six-month follow-up. ConclusionsBetter understanding Popular-Social peer crowds may be highly relevant for development of tailored media and other interventions for e-cigarette use prevention among young adults.

Peer Crowd Affiliation's Relationship with Health Risk and Promotion Behaviors in Emerging Adult Sexual Minoritized Men: The P18 Cohort Study

Peer Crowd Affiliation's Relationship with Health Risk and Promotion Behaviors in Emerging Adult Sexual Minoritized Men: The P18 Cohort Study

Using Peer Crowd Affiliation to Address Dual Use of Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes among San Francisco Bay Area Young Adults: A Cross Sectional Study.

Given the emerging tobacco landscape, dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes has increased among young adults, but little is known about its associated factors. Peer crowds, defined as macro-level connections between individuals with similar core values (e.g., “Hip Hop” describing a group that prefers hip hop music and values strength, honor, and respect), are a promising way to understand tobacco use patterns. We examined associations between peer crowds and tobacco use patterns by using data from a cross sectional survey of 1340 young adults in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2014. Outcomes were the past 30-day use of: neither cigarettes nor e-cigarettes; cigarettes but not e-cigarettes; e-cigarettes but not cigarettes; and both cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Peer crowds included Hipster, Hip Hop, Country, Partier, Homebody, and Young Professional. Multinomial regression analysis indicated that peer crowds were significantly associated with different tobacco use patterns. Compared to Young Professionals, Hip Hop and Hipster crowds were more likely to dual use; Hipsters were more likely to use e-cigarettes only, and Country participants were more likely to smoke cigarettes only. These findings suggest that tobacco control campaigns and cessation interventions should be tailored to different young adult peer crowds and address poly-tobacco use.

Peer crowd affiliations as predictors of prosocial and risky behaviors among college students

Objectives To examine college peer crowd affiliations and prosocial and risky behaviors (academic, sexual, drug, and alcohol related risks) as well as to investigate gender as a moderator of these relations. Participants: 527 students at a public university in the Midwest in Fall 2018 (M age = 19.67, SD = 1.84). Method: Students’ peer crowd affiliations were reported using an online survey. Four peer crowd dimensions were confirmed using Factor Analysis: Social (popular partiers and Greek organization members), Athletic, Arts/Diverse (students identifying strongly with a countercultural group, their race/ethnic group, and/or performing arts); and Scholastic (academic achievement and leadership). Results: Social crowd affiliations positively predicted all risk-related behaviors. Social and Scholastic affiliations positively predicted prosocial behaviors. Finally, gender significantly moderated the relations between peer crowd affiliations and risk and prosociality. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that peer crowd affiliation and gender are important when promoting positive behaviors on campus.

Peer crowd affiliation, adherence, perceived support, and metabolic control in T1DM youth.

Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) can face many challenges when adhering to their complex regimen in the context of their peer crowd. The aim of this study was to determine if peer crowd affiliation was associated with adolescents' adherence behaviors, perceived peer support, and metabolic control. A sample of 128 adolescents with T1DM completed the Peer Crowd Questionnaire, Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire-Friends Version, and Self-Care Inventory-Revised, and HbA1c readings were collected during their clinic visit. Results from this study suggest that adherence behaviors mediated the relationship between Jock peer crowd affiliation and metabolic control. Results also suggested that perceived peer support did not mediate the relationship between peer crowd affiliation and metabolic control through adherence behaviors. When examining the path coefficients for the purposed models, results showed a positive relationship between adherence and metabolic control, and more perceived peer support was related to worse metabolic control. Adolescents who identified mostly with the Jock peer crowd may hold lifestyle values that are consistent with the diabetes regimen which may make their diabetes management easier. In general, adolescents with T1DM may have a more multifaceted aspect of one's identity and therefore, their peer crowd affiliation is not as salient.

Protester, Partygoer, or Simply Playing It Down? The Impact of Crowd Affiliations on LGBT Emerging Adults’ Socioemotional and Academic Adjustment to College

ABSTRACT Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied among emerging adults in college, this work has yet to focus in on LGBT-identifying students. Accordingly, the current study a) surveyed the peer crowd landscape using a sample of 234 LGBT students (M age = 19.89, SD = 1.55; 70.51% female, 18.38% male, 11.11% other) at a small, private, liberal arts college in Southern California, and b) explored the relationships between self-reported peer crowd affiliations and LGBT students’ adjustment (i.e., loneliness, belongingness, and academic-, alcohol-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors). Results point to the existence of four underlying peer crowd dimensions among LGBT students: protester, nonvocal, social, and athletic. Furthermore, affiliation with these peer crowds was found to relate to students’ self-reported loneliness and academic-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors.

Differential Associations Between Anti-Tobacco Industry Attitudes and Intention to Quit Smoking Across Young Adult Peer Crowds.

To compare the relationship between anti-tobacco industry attitudes and intention and attempts to quit smoking across 6 young adult peer crowds. A cross-sectional bar survey in 2015. Seven US cities (Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Nashville, Oklahoma City, San Diego, San Francisco, and Tucson). Two thousand eight hundred seventeen young adult bar patrons who were currently smoking. Intention to quit in the next 6 months and having made a quit attempt in the last 12 months were binary outcomes. Anti-industry attitudes were measured by 3 items indicating support for action against the tobacco industry. Peer crowd affiliation was measured using the I-Base Survey. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between anti-industry attitudes and the outcomes for the total sample and for each peer crowd. Overall, anti-industry attitudes were positively associated with both intention to quit (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-1.52) and attempt to quit (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.03-1.27). Intriguingly, the relationship between anti-industry attitudes and intention to quit differed by peer crowd affiliation, with significant associations for Homebody, Partier, Hipster, and Hip Hop, but not for Young Professional and Country. Developing health communication messages that resonate with unique peer crowd values can enhance the relevance of public health campaigns. Tobacco control practitioners should tailor anti-industry messages to promote intention to quit smoking among the highest risk young adults.

Commuter College Student Adjustment: Peer Crowd Affiliation as a Driver of Loneliness, Belongingness, and Risk Behaviors

Although previous research has clearly demonstrated the impact that peer crowd affiliation has on socioemotional and risk-related outcomes, very few studies have investigated this relation in samples of emerging adults, and even fewer have focused specifically on commuter college students. Accordingly, the current study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between peer crowds and college adjustment at a commuter school. Participants were 663 students at a large public university in Southern California (campus population of 92% commuters). Factor analytic results indicated the presence of four crowd dimensions on campus: (a) social/partiers, (b) creatives and activists, (c) campus active, and (d) international students. Furthermore, path analysis results indicated that these crowd dimensions predict loneliness, college belongingness, and risk behaviors. Overall, the results of this study indicate the presence of a peer crowd landscape unique to commuter schools that has important implications for student adjustment.

Emerging adults’ self-identified peer crowd affiliations and college adjustment

Crowd affiliations are integral to academic functioning and school adjustment during adolescence. However, less is known about crowd structures within institutions of higher education. The current study was designed to validate the College Peer Crowd Questionnaire (CPCQ), an instrument designed to assess college students’ self-reported crowd identifications, and examine associations with academic and socioemotional problems that derail college success. Participants were 498 students at a small liberal arts college in the western United States (Mage = 20.08; SD = 1.38, range = 18–26). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the peer crowd structure could best be described by four underlying crowd dimensions (i.e., social, athletic, scholastic and counterculture) and that the factor structure was invariant across gender and college standing. Using structural equation modeling, we also found that crowd identification was significantly correlated with indices of college adjustment and behaviors that jeopardize academic success. The results highlight the importance of crowd affiliations for college students’ success and adjustment. The results also highlight that the CPCQ is a valid tool for researchers who undertake this research.

Peer crowd affiliation as a segmentation tool for young adult tobacco use

BackgroundIn California, young adult tobacco prevention is of prime importance; 63% of smokers start by the age of 18 years, and 97% start by the age of 26 years. We...

Emerging Adults’ Self-Identified Peer Crowd Affiliations, Risk Behavior, and Social–Emotional Adjustment in College

Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied extensively in adolescence, less is known about the crowd structure of emerging adults. The current study tested whether college students’ self-reported crowd affiliations were uniquely associated with a broad range of adjustment indices. Participants were 588 emerging adults at a small liberal arts college in the Western United States ( Mage = 20.07, SD = 1.34; range = 18–26; 411 women). Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the peer crowds examined were best described by four underlying crowd dimensions (i.e., social, athletic, scholastic, and counterculture). Regression analyses showed that scholastic and athletic affiliations predicted social–emotional adjustment and low-risk-related behaviors. Social and counterculture identification predicted risk-related behaviors. However, while social affiliation predicted social–emotional adjustment, affiliation with the counterculture crowd predicted high levels of loneliness and low belongingness. The results highlight the importance of crowd affiliations in emerging adulthood and their implications for college students’ adjustment.

Attention Problems and Peer Crowd Affiliation among Adolescents

This preliminary study explored the association between symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and self-identified peer crowd affiliation in a community sample of adolescents. Studying peer crowd affiliation in adolescents with ADHD is important to help clarify the nature of peer relationships and social functioning in this population. Participants were 41 adolescents aged 1117 who completed the lab-based study. ADHD symptoms were assessed using parent and teacher report, and peer crowd affiliation was based on self-report. Results suggested a negative relation between ADHD symptoms and affiliation with the Brains peer crowd, and a positive relation between ADHD symptoms and affiliation with the Jocks crowd. There was inconclusive evidence linking symptoms of ADHD to the Deviants or Populars peer crowds, perhaps because of the small sample size. The results have the potential to inform school mental health practices that seek to identity young people at risk for affiliating with speci...

Comments on Adolescent Peer Crowd Affiliation: A Response to Cross and Fletcher (2009)

According to Cross and Fletcher (2009), there is currently no one “accepted definition of the adolescent crowd” which is the reason why “the boundaries of the crowd are not sufficiently delineated” (p. 753) in the existing methodological approaches. Hence, they argue, “without a decision about who is to be studied (i.e., how to define the crowd)” the current approaches in studying adolescent crowds are prone to making “both Type I- and Type II-like errors” (p. 753). A Type-I-like error would occur when someone is wrongly classified to a crowd, the “null hypothesis” being that he or she is not a member of that group. A Type-II-like error would occur when someone is not rightly classified as a member of a crowd to which they belong. Thus, higher Type-I- and Type-II-like errors represent concepts similar to specificity and sensitivity in epidemiology. In our view, despite the differences in methodologies used to study adolescent peer crowds, one may infer a consensus across research studies regarding what adolescent peer crowds signify. Researchers in general tend to agree that adolescent peer crowd affiliation represents the tendency of adolescents “to place themselves and others into consensually recognized and labeled social types” (Sussman et al. 2007, p. 1). Undoubtedly, adolescent peer crowd affiliation represents a phenomenon involving a complex interplay among different types of self- and other-related social perceptions such as adolescents’ perceptions of themselves, their perceptions of what their peers perceive them to be, their peers’ actual perceptions of them, and how they would want their peers to perceive them. The diverse approaches taken to conceptualize and operationalize peer crowd affiliation in the current literature attest to the complexity of the peer crowd phenomenon. However, as illustrated by Sussman et al. (2007), the convergence of findings related to peer crowd names and characteristics across a methodologically varying set of studies suggests a general consensus among researchers regarding the nature of the peer crowd construct itself. That said, we do agree that more future research is needed to better understand the factors that influence adolescent crowd membership and the extent to which peer social network overlaps with peer crowd affiliation. We find Cross and Fletcher’s (2009) concern for sensitivity and specificity an important one. Although they don’t identify a method that might strike the right balance between specificity and sensitivity, we would welcome an advance in this direction. However, it should be noted that researchers have taken some precautions to increase the sensitivity and specificity of their measures. For example, in a self-identification measure an open-ended option is usually included for subjects to report the crowd names that do not appear on the provided list of names (Sussman et al. 2000, 2004). We agree with Cross and Fletcher (2009) that adolescents’ identification with multiple groups poses a common methodological problem in the study of peer crowds. More research that examines multiple crowd identification is needed. Also, more research is needed to determine the relative impact of each crowd on the behavior of adolescents who identify with multiple groups. This is a different sort of research question, of course, from asking youth to indicate the crowd about which they most closely identify. We feel that both types of research have value.

Peer crowd affiliations of adult gay men: Linkages with health risk behaviors.

The social networks of adult gay men play important roles in both the promotion and prevention of health risk. The current investigation had 2 primary goals. First, this study examined the existence of gay peer crowds using the opinions of a large (N 340) online sample of self-identified gay men. Second, it explored how these peer crowd affiliations may be differentially related to health risk. All participants provided demographic information, opinions regarding the existence of gay peer crowds, and subjective ratings of identification with each crowd. Information regarding marijuana and other drug use, binge drinking, smoking, unprotected sex, and steroid use was also collected. The majority of men surveyed believed in the existence of gay peer crowds. Identifying with Circuit Partiers, Bears, Muscle Boys, Granolas, and Goths was related to adverse health behaviors. Low-risk peer crowd affiliations included Suburbans, Professionals, Twinks, and Activists. These effects were above and beyond those of age, income, and education. Implications for future research and intervention efforts with gay men are discussed.

Does This Make Me Look Fat? Peer Crowd and Peer Contributions to Adolescent Girls’ Weight Control Behaviors

Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, this study evaluated a “socialization” model linking girls’ peer crowd affiliations (e.g., Jocks, Populars) with their own weight concern, perceived peer weight norms, and weight control behaviors. An alternative “selection” model was also evaluated. Girls (N = 236; M age = 15.95 years) from diverse ethnic backgrounds completed surveys assessing peer crowd affiliation, their own concern with weight, perceptions of peers’ concern with weight, and weight control behaviors. Models were evaluated using SEM. The socialization model demonstrated good fit; the alternative selection model did not. Specifically, girls’ level of identification with certain peer crowds (Jocks, Burnouts, Alternatives) was associated with girls’ reported own concern and perceived peer concern with weight. Additionally, girls’ own concern and peer norms were related independently to girls’ weight control behaviors. Findings suggest that peer crowds and girls’ own and peer weight norms may be important targets of prevention efforts.

Smoke in the Looking Glass: Effects of Discordance Between Self- and Peer Rated Crowd Affiliation on Adolescent Anxiety, Depression and Self-feelings

Peer crowds serve as an identity marker for adolescents, indicating their image and status among peers; but adolescents do not always endorse peer appraisals of crowd affiliation. We report on two studies—one with 924 adolescents in grades 7-12 and a second with a more diverse population of 2,728 students in grades 9-11, followed for 2 years—that examined how congruence between peer and self-appraisals of crowd affiliation relate to self-esteem and internalizing symptoms. Analyses indi- cate that high-status crowd members may suffer and low- status crowd members benefit by denying their peer crowd affiliation, but effects are modest in size and not entirely consistent across the two studies. Findings underscore the value of symbolic interactionist principles concerning reflected appraisal processes in understanding how peer crowd affiliation affects adolescent self-image.

Adolescents’ Eating, Exercise, and Weight Control Behaviors: Does Peer Crowd Affiliation Play a Role?

To examine the association between peer crowd affiliation (e.g., Jocks, Populars, Burnouts, Brains) and adolescents' eating, exercise, and weight control behaviors. The roles of gender and ethnicity were also examined. Ethnically diverse adolescents (N = 705; 66% girls) completed the Peer Crowd Questionnaire, eating and exercise items from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and weight control behaviors from the Eating Attitudes Test-12. Controlling for gender and ethnicity, adolescents affiliating with the Burnouts reported more unhealthful eating and more bulimic behaviors than others; adolescents affiliating with the Brains reported more healthful eating, less unhealthful eating, and more dieting; those affiliating with Jocks and Populars reported engaging in more exercise; and Populars also reported more unhealthful eating. In addition, boys exercised more than girls; girls reported more dieting and bulimic behaviors. Black adolescents reported more unhealthful eating and less dieting than other adolescents. Along with gender and ethnicity, peer crowd affiliation is related to adolescents' eating, exercise, and weight control behaviors. Prevention programs should consider adolescent peer crowds in developing health promotion and obesity prevention programs.

Adolescent Peer Relations, Friendships, and Romantic Relationships: Do They Predict Social Anxiety and Depression?

This study examined multiple levels of adolescents' interpersonal functioning, including general peer relations (peer crowd affiliations, peer victimization), and qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships as predictors of symptoms of depression and social anxiety. An ethnically diverse sample of 421 adolescents (57% girls; 14 to 19 years) completed measures of peer crowd affiliation, peer victimization, and qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships. Peer crowd affiliations (high and low status), positive qualities in best friendships, and the presence of a dating relationship protected adolescents against feelings of social anxiety, whereas relational victimization and negative interactions in best friendships predicted high social anxiety. In contrast, affiliation with a high-status peer crowd afforded some protection against depressive affect; however, relational victimization and negative qualities of best friendships and romantic relationships predicted depressive symptoms. Some moderating effects for ethnicity were observed. Findings indicate that multiple aspects of adolescents' social relations uniquely contribute to feelings of internal distress. Implications for research and preventive interventions are discussed.

Peer Crowd Affiliation and Internalizing Distress in Childhood and Adolescence: A Longitudinal Follow‐Back Study

Concurrent and longitudinal associations between peer crowd affiliation and internalized distress were examined in a sample of 246 youth (148 girls, 98 boys). Children completed measures of depression, social anxiety, loneliness, and self‐esteem when they were in grades 4 to 6 (Time 1), and again 6 years later during adolescence (grades 10 – 12; Time 2). At Time 2, adolescents also reported their self‐concept and their identification with reputation‐based peer crowds, including Populars, Jocks, Brains, Burnouts, Non‐Conformists, and None/Average crowds. Results indicated that adolescents' report of peer crowd affiliation was concurrently associated with self‐concept and levels of internalizing distress. Follow‐back analyses of internalizing trajectories revealed that Populars/Jocks had experienced significant declines in internalizing distress across development, whereas Brains exhibited some increases in internalizing distress between childhood and adolescence.

Peer relations of youth with pediatric conditions and health risks: promoting social support and healthy lifestyles.

Peer relations and close friendships play important roles in youngsters' emotional development and take on special significance when a child or adolescent has a chronic disease. This article reviews the key ways that peer relations have been examined in youth with chronic pediatric conditions and specifically focuses on (1) the role of peers and close friends as a source of support, (2) friends' influence on treatment adherence, and (3) peers' and friends' impact on health-promoting and health-risk behaviors. In general, youngsters with chronic conditions do not have more problems in their peer relations than other youth, although children with medical conditions that are stigmatizing or that involve the central nervous system (CNS) may encounter peer difficulties. Social support from friends and classmates appears to facilitate youngsters' disease adaptation and may help with the lifestyle aspects of treatment regimens. Adolescent peer-crowd affiliations (e.g., "brains," "jocks") that are linked with health-promoting behaviors may prove beneficial to youngsters' disease management and health. The findings underscore the need for helping children and adolescents disclose their medical condition to peers in positive ways and for including youngsters' close friends in the treatment process and in school-reentry programs after extended medical care. Additional research is needed to develop strategies for incorporating youngsters' peers and friends into the medical management of youth with chronic pediatric conditions.