The ways that psychopathology manifests in adolescence have shifted dramatically over the past twenty-five years, with rates of many externalizing behaviors declining substantially while rates of anxiety and depressive disorders have skyrocketed. This paper argues that understanding these changes requires rethinking the field’s historically somewhat negative views of intense peer connections, peer influences, and adolescent risk-taking behavior. It is argued that intense peer connections are critical to development, and that peer influence and risk taking have important, often overlooked, adaptive components. The shift in observed manifestations of adolescent psychopathology over this period can be viewed at least partly in terms of a shift away from strong peer connections and toward greater risk aversion. Implications for research and intervention based on a focus on the adaptive aspects of peer influences and risk taking are discussed.

The current study investigated how a sample of adolescents perceived the level of equity with friends, teachers, parents, and siblings; and how equity influenced adolescents’ affect. Analysis of responses from 208 Australian secondary students showed that level of perceived equity influenced positive and negative affect. Respondents’ mean scores showed they were more benefitted in their relationships with parents, siblings, friends and least benefitted in relations with teachers. Respondents were most frequently equitable in their relationships with friends. Importantly, consistent with previous research, negative affect was consistently associated with both the underbenefitted and overbenefitted conditions, particularly in relationships with parents and teachers. In conclusion, the findings confirm the initial proposition of equity theory when applied to multiple relationships with adolescents.