Helping Students Resist Negative Peer Pressure

Helping Students Resist Negative Peer Pressure

What is Peer Pressure? Members of the same social group are known as peers. Peer pressure is the pressure exerted by a social group on a member or members in order to conform and act in a set manner. Peer pressure is one of the reasons for students to take up harmful habits like cigarette smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and drug and substance abuse. It is thus important for parents and educators to help students resist negative peer pressure. Peer pressure can also be exerted to bully or rag another student. Students need to be well-equipped to deal with peer pressure in an assertive and brave manner. They need to be taught to say “no” to cigarettes, drugs, etc. Students, especially teenagers or college students, are more vulnerable to fall into the trap of peer pressure as they may feel pressurized to fit into or belong in a group. The following are few suggestions for helping students resist negative peer pressure: 1: Discuss peer pressure with students: It is important for educators and parents to discuss peer pressure with students. They need to be told that it is okay to break away from a group if they are being forced to do something harmful or being treated badly. It is simply not worth being in such a group and they can always find genuine and good friends. It is also important to let them know that they need to report any kind of peer pressure which is harmful. Educators and parents need to let students know that they are there for them and should be supportive and approachable when students turn to them for any kind of guidance. 2: Enact scenes where they need to resist peer pressure: Enacting scenes where students need to resist peer pressure will help students become more assertive and help them to proactively prepare themselves in case they have to face such situations in real life. 3. Help students assert themselves: Assertive skills include learning how to say “no” in a calm, firm and confident manner. It also includes saying things like “that is injurious” or “that is mean” or “that is unacceptable.” Encourage students to speak up and express their feelings and views when confronted with peer pressure-like situations.