While the teen years are exciting, they are also a time of intense change and growth. Some people respond to the stress by attacking others. Some react by drawing closer to their friends. But even these relationships can be problematic if members of the friend group pressure others to engage in bad behavior. 

Unfortunately, the issue is more complex for neurodivergent teens and those with learning challenges. Although many teens are affected by bullying and peer pressure, teens with learning issues experience these issues in unique ways. 

This article helps parents understand bullying and peer pressure. It also outlines how these obstacles can disproportionately affect children with learning challenges. Finally, it explains why parents might consider a therapeutic day school in New York City.

What is Bullying? What is Peer Pressure? 

The American Psychological Association defines peer pressure as “the influence exerted by a peer group on its individual members to fit in with or conform to the group’s norms and expectations.” Research shows that the influence of peer pressure peaks between ages 10-13, but additional research shows that those aged 13-16 remain far more susceptible to group pressure than adults. In short, until the brain fully develops, peer pressure is a concern. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, bullying is “any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners.” Bullying takes many forms. In the teen years, physical bullying is less typical, but verbal remarks and social tactics (e.g., spreading rumors) are common. Social media has also made teen cyberbullying a constant concern.  

How Learning Differences Complicate Bullying and Peer Pressure for Teens 

Teens with mental and emotional challenges are more likely to be bullied. Recent government data show that roughly 33 percent of all teens report being bullied. However, the same data show that nearly 54 percent of teens with “mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems” are bullied. These mental and emotional issues include conditions such as anxiety, depression, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, autism, and ADHD. The number jumps to 62.7 percent for teens who require consistent treatment for their condition. 

Experts struggle to explain why neurodivergent teens are more likely to be bullied. While there is no consensus, some theories include: 

• Neurodivergence. Teens with conditions such as autism may miss conversational nuances (such as sarcasm) or take words literally, leading to awkward social interactions.
• Executive Functioning. Issues with executive functioning can impair impulse control and emotional regulation. Bullies may target students who have frequent emotional outbursts to get a “rise” out of them. 
• Sensory Issues. Similar to executive function issues, if bullies know that students are particularly vulnerable to certain sights, smells, or sounds, they may perceive them as an easy target for harassment. 
• Stigma. Many traditional schools provide services required under Section 504 or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) by pulling students out of the classroom or sending aides into the classroom. If bullies sense that other students perceive the victim as “less” than them, they may believe that they’ll get less pushback for choosing that person. 

Ironically, perhaps because they are often targeted for bullying, teens with learning issues are more susceptible to peer pressure. Bullying makes them feel excluded. As such, the peer group becomes a precious resource. The student then feels pressure to go along with the peers to avoid being targeted or isolated again. 

In addition, neurotypical students may look to their peers for clues on how to behave. The same can be said of teens with executive functioning issues who struggle to make decisions in the moment. This habit can be positive with the right peers, but the wrong ones can lead these teens down a questionable path. 

How Bullying and Peer Pressure Can Affect a Teen’s Academic Performance

Both bullying and peer pressure can affect your teen’s academic achievement. 

Student engagement is, to oversimplify it, a measure of how connected students are to their school and how much they enjoy being there. Students who are engaged are far more likely to excel in school. However, bullying causes victims to disengage from school, leading to lower academic achievement.

Peer pressure can also cause academic issues, but it’s more complex than that. Research on teen peer groups shows that teens with peers who view school positively are also likely to view school positively. But of course, the same is true for those with peers who don’t value school.

How Therapeutic Schools Can Help Teens with Learning Differences Navigate Bullying and Peer Pressure

Schools play a huge role in helping students navigate both bullying and peer pressure. The key is school culture. 

Every school has a culture. A school’s culture is the set of spoken (and unspoken) rules, values, and traditions that guide every interaction. In a healthy school culture, students should feel heard, cared for, and respected.  

Fortunately, most traditional schools are working to adopt anti-bullying programs and other measures to protect their students. These programs can be helpful when properly implemented. However, therapeutic schools have smaller class sizes than traditional ones. The lower student-to-teacher ratio allows closer adult supervision. More adults watching means they can intervene in student disputes rapidly and respond quickly. 

Additionally, social and emotional learning matters. Traditional and therapeutic schools are both working to implement social and emotional learning practices. However, in traditional schools, it’s difficult to incorporate these lessons into an already full school day. By contrast, every therapeutic school day is designed to include time for emotional learning as well as academics. 

School culture also helps with peer pressure. Again, traditional schools with large student bodies aren’t always able to monitor or address student behavior. But in addition to having smaller student bodies and closer supervision, therapeutic schools can help each individual student shape their values in alignment with the school culture. Helping each student succeed increases the likelihood that each student will join a positive peer group. 

Get Help with Bullying and Peer Pressure for Teens  

Adolescence can be hard, but in the proper environment, teens can learn to express their emotions in healthy ways. If your family is considering a new school for your teen due to bullying, negative peer pressure, or other reasons, consider Academics West. We’ve worked hard to create a positive school culture that helps students develop their emotional and social skills as well as their scholarly achievements. To get a glimpse of how we do it, check out our virtual tour. Then, call 212-580-0080 or use our booking tool to schedule an in-person visit.