We examined perceived peer approval/use of substances and social goals in an early adolescent sample, and it will be important for future research to examine these variables across time and spanning different periods of adolescence. Longitudinal research will aid in understanding the nature and direction of the effects of peer attitudes and social goals; it may reveal changes in social goals across time, and whether social goals are more pertinent at some ages than others. Furthermore, longitudinal research will help distinguish processes related to initiation of alcohol and cigarette use compared to predictors of transitions across stages of heavier use. We focused on negative peer influences as this has been most widely studied and discussed in the adolescent substance use literature. However, peers also have positive influences on behavior (Barry & Wentzel, 2006), and it may be fruitful to examine how social goals moderate positive peer influence on intentions to abstain from substance use. Examining potential three-way interactions involving agentic and communal goals and gender is also of interest. We could not test such effects because of limited power; however,
