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Age segregation of adolescents in and out of school

Journal of Youth and Adolescence volume 9, pages 371–381 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

In a naturalistic study of age segregation during adolescence, 403 adolescents making up 153 separate groups were observed in three high schools and seven out-of-school settings. Age segregation was extensive, especially in school, among older adolescents in same-sex groups of friends. More mixed-age association was observed out of school among younger adolescents who were in mixed-sex groups containing relatives. Adolescents were most often observed with friends who were other adolescents, next with adults, and least frequently observed with children. Parents, particularly fathers, were rarely present. It was suggested that age segregation during adolescence is the result of a lack of contact with relatives.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Studies, University of Utah, 84112, Salt Lake City, Utah

    Raymond Montemayor

  2. Graduate student, Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, USA

    Roger Van Komen

Authors
  1. Raymond Montemayor
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  2. Roger Van Komen
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Additional information

Received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1974. Major research interest is parent-adolescent relations.

Major research interests are adolescence and clinical psychology.

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Montemayor, R., Van Komen, R. Age segregation of adolescents in and out of school. J Youth Adolescence 9, 371–381 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087675

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087675

Keywords

  • High School
  • Health Psychology
  • School Psychology
  • Separate Group
  • Young Adolescent