In addition to the study of demographic factors and related constructs, some research examining target adolescents’ characteristics has suggested that adolescents’ own psychological symptoms may increase their susceptibility to peer influence. Social anxiety (and perhaps other indicators of internalizing distress) has emerged as an especially important variable that increases the likelihood for adolescents to conform to peers, both in longitudinal research examining depression contagion between close friends (Prinstein, 2007) and in an experimental study of adherence to electronic confederates’ behavior (Cohen & Prinstein, 2006). Additionally, difficulties negotiating family relationships also appears to enhance susceptibility to peer influence (Jaccard, Blanton, & Dodge, 2005; Vitaro, Brendgen, & Tremblay, 2000).
