According to a new study, it’s been revealed that teenagers benefit more from having one close friend than being part of a big gang.
Just one good friend can be enough to help teenagers from tough backgrounds overcome their problems, say psychologists.
But it is boys from such backgrounds who get the most help from a best friend, they say. While girls may get encouragement, they are also given more bad advice.
Teenagers from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds often have poorer health and fewer job opportunities than those from wealthier homes.
But relying on the support of a best friend – as opposed to being part of a gang or large group – can boost the ‘self-reliance’ of those facing these challenges and help them to succeed, said the study.
Also, it was found that girls were more likely to blame themselves when things went wrong while boys realised it was not their fault and so used different ‘coping mechanisms’ said the study.
Lead author, psychologist Dr Rebecca Graber of Sussex University, said that while family was important in helping young people, so too was the right ‘best friend.’