SELF-MONITORING, SELF-ESTEEM, AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PEER PRESSURE IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Susceptibility to antisocial and neutral peer pressure was studied in the context of adolescent identity formation. Differential effects of self-esteem and self¬ monitoring on antisocial susceptibility and neutral susceptibility were investigated. Age and gender differences in susceptibility were also explored. Chinese adolescents (N = 250) from the ages of 13 to 17 responded to a modified version of Berndt's antisocial and neutral susceptibility scales, the Adolescent Self-monitoring Scale, Rosenberg's self-esteem scale, and the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Self-esteem predicted susceptibility to antisocial peer pressure but not susceptibility to neutral peer pressure, while self-monitoring predicted susceptibility to neutral peer pressure but not susceptibility to antisocial peer pressure. However, the relationship between self-esteem and susceptibility to antisocial peer pressure disappeared when social desirability was taken into account. Susceptibility to antisocial peer pressure showed a positive linear developmental trend, while an inverted U-shaped trend was found for one domain of neutral susceptibility relating to school activities. No gender-related differences were found for either types of susceptibility. Scales were found to exhibit acceptable psychometric properties for adolescents in Singapore.