Characteristics defining perceived popularity among same-sex and opposite-sex peers

Christina Akre; André Berchtold; Yara Barrense-Dias; Joan-Carles Suris

doi:10.1515/ijamh-2019-0041

Article

Characteristics defining perceived popularity among same-sex and opposite-sex peers

Christina Akre , André Berchtold , Yara Barrense-Dias and Joan-Carles Suris

Published/Copyright: June 8, 2020

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From the journal International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health Volume 33 Issue 3

Astract

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics of adolescents and young adults (AYA) who perceive themselves as popular with AYAs who perceive themselves as unpopular vis-á-vis peers from same-sex, opposite-sex, or both.

Methods

Among a representative sample of in-school 15–24 year-olds students (n=5,179) who completed a self-administrated questionnaire, we measured self-perception of popularity, socio-demographic data, ease to make same/opposite-sex friends, emotional well-being, school variables, substance use, sensation seeking, self-perception of pubertal timing, and aggressive/violent behavior.

Results

Overall, our findings put forth that popularity was associated to easiness of making same/opposite-sex friends, emotional well-being, socio-economical background, sensation seeking behaviors, and alcohol misuse. Differences appeared between males or females.

Conclusion

Findings indicate that popularity remains a very important issue among this age group and should be a red flag in clinical assessment. Future research should explore whether feeling of unpopularity can be used as a marker of adolescent well-being and hence help identify those youths who might need help.

Keywords: adolescents; peers relations; popularity; well-being; young adults

Corresponding author: Christina Akre, Ph.D., Institut Universitaire de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Lausanne University Hospital, Biopole 2, Route de la Corniche 10, 1010, Lausanne, Switzerland, Phone: +41 21 314 72 57, E-mail: Christina.Akre@unisante.ch

Funding source: Programme Intercantonal de Lutte contre la Dépendance au Jeu (PILDJ) and Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland

Funding source: Décharge Tremplin, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland

Funding

The study was funded by the Programme Intercantonal de Lutte contre la Dépendance au Jeu (PILDJ) and the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland; and the Décharge Tremplin from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Author contributions: All authors contributed to the article.
Competing interest: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: All participants gave their informed consent to participate in the research.

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Received: 2019-02-22

Accepted: 2019-05-02

Published Online: 2020-06-08

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2019-0041

Keywords for this article

adolescents; peers relations; popularity; well-being; young adults