Early Teen Years
The onset of puberty coincides with mental and emotional changes as well as physical and hormonal changes. The early teen years are an especially vulnerable time for teenagers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that young teens are subject to moodiness and negative coping skills as they adjust to unfamiliar bodily changes and outside pressures. By the early teenage years, adolescents are capable of more complex thought patterns and have a greater ability for self-expression, which plays a role in friendship selection and maintenance.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure works in both a positive and a negative manner in a teenager's life. Pressure from within a group encourages teens to conform. When positive values are in common, teens are less likely to engage in risky or self-destructive behaviors. The level of conformity among teenagers depends on personal characteristics, parental and community support and opportunities to participate in various groups. A teenager who experiences a warm and supportive parental relationship is less likely to give in to negative peer pressure than a teenager who is insecure and lacks confidence.