The relationship between adolescents' social support from parents and frompeers

This study investigated the relationship between adolescents' social suppor t from parents and from peers. Three hypotheses were tested. The first hypo thesis was that adolescents who experience little parental support will com pensate with support from peers. A negative correlation would thus be expec ted between perception of parental support on the one hand, and support fro m peers on the other. The second hypothesis was that lack of parental suppo rt will not be compensated by peer support, because such compensation is im possible. Thus, there would be no correlation. The third hypothesis was tha t adolescents in these circumstances lack the opportunity or ability to gai n social support from anyone, including peers. A positive correlation would therefore be expected. These hypotheses were tested in a sample of 1,528 u rban Dutch secondary school students (aged 14-16 years) who were in the thi rd year of an intermediate educational stream. Analysis indicated that Hypo thesis 1 was not substantiated. The results also argued against Hypothesis 3 and in favor of Hypothesis 2.