Peer Pressure: How Friends Shape Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood

When we think of peer pressure, our minds often jump to high school hallways, parties, or cliques pushing one another to act or dress a certain way. But what if peer pressure doesn’t end when adolescence does? A recent study Peer Pressure and Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood: A Latent Profile Analysis sheds light on how peer influence continues well into emerging adulthood that unique stage of life between the ages of 18 and 29 when people are finding themselves, forming lasting habits, and, often, experimenting with substances like alcohol and marijuana.

This research offers a fresh perspective on how peer pressure operates during this critical life stage, providing surprising insights into how peer pressure can not only lead to risky behaviors but also protect against them.

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Why Emerging Adulthood Matters

Emerging adulthood is a period marked by significant change. People often start college or new jobs, form romantic relationships, and explore who they are and who they want to be. It's also a period of increased independence and, unfortunately, increased substance use. National studies show that binge drinking and marijuana use peak during this age range.

Given how central peer relationships are during this stage, it’s essential to understand how peer pressure plays into substance use. And yet, most research on peer pressure has focused on teenagers, not adults in their twenties. This study aimed to fill that gap.

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Not All Peer Pressure Is Created Equal

Using data from 359 emerging adults (ages 18–29), researchers analyzed how different types of perceived peer pressure to socialize vs. pressure to use substances were linked to behaviors like binge drinking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and other drug use.

To dig deeper, they used a method called latent profile analysis to uncover hidden patterns in how people experience peer pressure. What emerged were three distinct groups:

1. Negative Peer Pressure Group: These individuals felt strong pressure from friends to use substances like alcohol or marijuana. They had the highest rates of binge drinking, alcohol use, and marijuana use.

2. Positive Peer Pressure Group. This group felt pressure to be social, but not to use substances. In fact, they were less likely to have used alcohol or marijuana, showing that peer influence can be protective.

3. No Peer Pressure Group: These individuals reported experiencing little to no perceived peer pressure in either direction. They fell somewhere in the middle in terms of substance use.

   
   

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Sensation Seeking and Risk-Taking

Another important factor in the study was sensation seeking a personality trait characterized by the pursuit of novel and thrilling experiences. As expected, those who scored higher on sensation seeking were more likely to report all types of substance use, including harder drugs. This suggests that individuals who crave excitement may not only be more drawn to substance use but also more vulnerable to peer influence.

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The Role of Context: College and Living Situation Matter

Interestingly, the study found that being enrolled in school and living away from parents was associated with higher exposure to negative peer pressure. In other words, the classic college experience, complete with dorm life, parties, and newfound freedom, may make emerging adults more susceptible to risky behaviors through peer influence.

However, peer pressure in college doesn’t always manifest as someone saying, “Come on, just take a drink.” Instead, it can be indirect, such as being in social environments where drinking is the norm. This subtle form of pressure may be just as powerful as direct persuasion.

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Limitations and What Comes Next

While the study provides important insights, it’s not without limitations. Because the data is cross-sectional, we can't say for certain whether peer pressure causes substance use or if substance users gravitate toward like-minded peers. Also, the study relied on self-reports, which can be skewed by memory or social desirability bias. And although the sample was diverse in age, income, and gender, it was predominantly white and relatively low-risk in terms of substance use. Future research should include more diverse populations and higher-risk groups to better understand how these dynamics play out across different backgrounds.

Another question for future research: How is the perception of marijuana changing as it becomes legal in more places? Will peer pressure around marijuana become less taboo or more normalized?

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Takeaway: Peer Pressure Can Be a Force for Good

One of the most compelling findings from this study is that positive peer pressure is indeed a real phenomenon, and it is effective. Friends who discourage substance use or create social spaces that aren’t centered around drinking or drugs can play a powerful role in keeping each other healthy.

This has important implications for prevention and intervention strategies. Instead of focusing solely on the individual, programs might be more effective if they also address peer group dynamics and promote prosocial peer influence. Encouraging students and young adults to support each other in making healthy choices may be more impactful than any lecture or awareness campaign.

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Final Thoughts

Peer pressure doesn’t stop when high school ends and it doesn’t always lead to bad decisions. As this study demonstrates, friends can either encourage us to engage in risky behaviors or help protect us from them. Recognizing the complex, multidimensional nature of peer pressure in emerging adulthood is crucial if we want to support healthier, safer communities for young people navigating one of life’s most formative stages.