Welcome to the PIAPER website!

Much of the research on adolescents' interactions and relationships with peers has focused exclusively on the peer microsystem. Yet, researchers are well aware that other aspects of a young person's life have a profound impact on peer relationships and, in turn, are affected by these relationships. Chief among these other aspects is the family. Although there is considerable research on family-peer linkages during the toddler and childhood years, scholarship about such linkages during adolescence is more limited.

The SRA Study Group on Parental Involvement in Adolescent Peer Relations (PIAPER) was initiated in 2004 to bring together scholars leading the growing interest in the intersection of peer and family worlds during adolescence. Of particular concern is how parents and parent-child or family relationships affect and are affected by adolescents' interactions with peers during this stage of life. The PIAPER Study Group is international in scope, involving scholars from a variety of nations and cultures and encouraging awareness of the cultural context in which family-peer linkages occur.

The purpose of the PIAPER Study Group is to exchange ideas, organize collaborations among research groups, sponsor presentations at scientific meetings, coordinate publications, and serve as a clearinghouse for information about research on this issue. Click on the tabs to the left to learn more about Study Group members and their research, current and past activities of the Study Group, and scholarship on this important aspect of adolescent development and behavior.