A Friend Who’s More Boss than BFF May Be Harmful for Teens’ Mental Health
Friendships are extremely important relationships for teens, but are they always a positive influence? To investigate, we surveyed 388 adolescents at U.S. high schools to learn about their close friends’ dominating behaviors
This story was originally published by The Conversation. Republished with permission.
The big idea
Teens with domineering friends are at heightened risk for mental health problems, according to our new research.
Dominant friends often harness decision-making power – for instance, dictating which classmates their friends should follow on Instagram. They can also exert behavioral control, like by making the subordinate friend go to a party they don’t want to attend.
Friendships are extremely important relationships for teens, but are they always a positive influence? We are psychology researchers interested in the potential psychological consequences of having dominant friends. We suspected that being part of this kind of friendship with a peer might make adolescents feel worthless or distressed.
To investigate, we surveyed 388 adolescents at U.S. high schools five times across one year. Each time, we asked our teen participants to answer questions about their close friends’ dominating behaviors: Do they make all the decisions? Do they always get their way?
Consistent with our predictions, we found that when adolescents felt powerless in their close friendships – like their friends always “called the shots” – they experienced lower self-esteem and more symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Why it matters
Adolescence is a high-risk time for the onset of psychological disorders; rates of depression and anxiety tend to rise during the teenage years. Supportive and equitable friendships can positively affect teen mental health, but our new research reveals a potential dark side to some close friendships.
Although some teens might be OK going with the flow and letting their friends take the reins, our study found some of the first evidence that this kind of unequal relationship can be psychologically harmful. Healthy friendships should offer both partners opportunities to have a say and make decisions.
Our findings suggest that it’s important to teach teens how to establish healthy, equitable friendships. One friend shouldn’t consistently feel bossed around or powerless. Also, adolescents may benefit from receiving help in developing effective communication tools for asserting their wants and needs to their close friends.
What still isn’t known
There is still a lot to learn about how power dynamics in friendships affect teen mental health. For example, is it better to have dominant friends than no friends at all? Does having several supportive friends negate the harm of having one dominant friend? And are there reasons some teens might be more likely than others to end up in these lopsided friendships? For example, it’s possible that personality plays a role, with more introverted teens gravitating toward more assertive peers, and vice versa.
We also need to learn more about the best ways to effectively intervene. Many programs are designed to promote healthy teen romantic relationships, but far fewer address healthy teen friendships. Recognizing that friendships are not unequivocally protective is an important first step in helping teens reap their benefits and avoid their costs.
Mental health can't wait.
America is in a mental health crisis — but too often, the media overlooks this urgent issue. MindSite News is different. We’re the only national newsroom dedicated exclusively to mental health journalism, exposing systemic failures and spotlighting lifesaving solutions. And as a nonprofit, we depend on reader support to stay independent and focused on the truth.
It takes less than one minute to make a difference. No amount is too small.
The name “MindSite News” is used with the express permission of Mindsight Institute, an educational organization offering online learning and in-person workshops in the field of mental health and wellbeing. MindSite News and Mindsight Institute are separate, unaffiliated entities that are aligned in making science accessible and promoting mental health globally.
Authors
Related Articles
Depression Too Often Gets Deemed ‘Hard to Treat’ When Medication Falls Short
Three in four people who take antidepressants drugs don’t get complete relief – and then are often categorized as having “treatment-resistant depression.” Many patients are demoralized by the notion that their depression is “incurable.” But what if they’re trying the wrong treatment?
With Mental Health Concerns Often Ignored, Covid Long-Haulers Band Together for Research, Support
Many long COVID patients have struggled with mental illness – and felt their symptoms and needs dismissed. As a result, some “long-haulers” have become advocates and researchers, forming collaboratives to gather data and hunt for treatments. They’ve been joined by sympathetic specialists known as long COVID clinicians, who have set up medical centers dedicated to recovery.
Is the ketamine story changing?
Two new reports reveals some unexpected developments in the ketamine story. And a new report shines a light into the lived experience of psychosis.
