Peer Relationships

Peer Relationships are defined as the interpersonal connections and social networks formed between individuals of similar developmental levels, status, or age. The American Counseling Association (ACA) emphasizes these relationships as critical components of social-emotional development, serving as a primary context for practicing empathy, conflict resolution, and identity formation. Counselors view healthy peer dynamics as a protective factor against psychological distress, while maladaptive peer influences—such as bullying, social isolation, or peer pressure—are treated as significant risk factors that can impair a client’s academic, social, and emotional functioning.