Peer Acceptance and its Relationship to ‎Psychological Well-Being among Secondary ‎School Students

Abstract

This study examined the level of peer acceptance and its relationship to psychological well-being among a random sample of Jordanian secondary school students, the study sample consisting of 241 male and female high school students from Al-Koura Directorate of Education schools. To achieve the study objectives, Al-Tawayah’s (2019) scale was used for peer acceptance and Ryff’s (1989) scale for psychological well-being after their validity and stability were verified. The findings indicated that the students in the study sample had a moderate level of peer acceptance and psychological well-being. The study revealed an extensive and significant association between the level of acceptance children received from their peers and their overall psychological well-being during secondary school. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant disparity in the correlation between peer acceptance and the various dimensions of psychological well-being, such as autonomy and a sense of personal growth, based on gender. Specifically, females exhibited a stronger correlation. Additionally, there was a statistically significant difference in the correlation between peer acceptance and the dimension of psychological well-being related to life goals, with males showing a stronger correlation. Based on the findings, the researchers suggested developing educational mechanisms and activities to improve and develop the level of peer acceptance among secondary school students