ABSTRACT
Prior to adolescence, a person is primarily dependent on his or her family for care and guidance. It is during adolescence that he or she becomes individuated from the family and that relationships with peers become more salient. During this developmental period, adolescents learn a set of functional skills that are needed for a successful transition into, and survival during, adulthood. In other words, adolescence can be viewed as the “launching pad” into adulthood. A crucial part of the formula for successful adult functioning is one’s level of school performance. Arguably, the nature of adolescents’; relationships with family and peers has an effect on their academic performance. Adolescents learn many of their functional skills from both parents and peers, and these relationships have a profound relationship to success. The transition to and through adolescence is obviously a tenuous one that can be affected by a variety of stressors. For African Americans, adolescence is further complicated with issues of race, ethnicity, and, more often than not, socioeconomic status. African-American adolescents must learn to come into adulthood in a society that devalues critical aspects of their identity. This societal phenomenon can indeed have negative effects on adolescents’ overall functioning, particularly academic achievement. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the influences of families and peers on African-American academic achievement within a greater social context.
