Dutch scientists from the Free University of Amsterdam studied how relationships with peers during school years affect a person’s mental health and mental stability. The study was published in the scientific journal broadcasting Journal of Youth and Adolescence (JYA).
Experts have focused on internalizing problems (internalizing mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, and social isolation).
423 first- and second-year high school students from the Netherlands, aged between 11 and 15, participated in the study. Teenagers were asked to take sociometric tests that included the names of 15 classmates they considered friends. Scientists then compared the responses to identify cases of reciprocal and non-reciprocal friendships.
The results showed that teens with more friends were less likely to show symptoms of anxiety and depression. The opposite situation was observed in children who had a narrow circle of friends and showed symptoms of emotional distress as well as a desire to make new friends.
According to scientists, the emotional problems of unpopular teenagers are linked to the fear of showing inadequacy in social scenarios.
Previous scientists I learnedChildren from poor families have difficulty making friends at school.