Friends Are Like Flowers: How Military-Connected Adolescents in Civilian Schools Cultivate Social Networks

• In Event: 79.018 - The Role of Peers and Social Networks in Human Development

Abstract

For military-connected adolescents, high mobility and deployment rates present risk that negatively impacts achievement (Astor, Jacobson, & Benbenishty, 2012; De Pedro, Astor, Gilreath, Benbenishty, & Esqueda, 2013). This mixed methods study employed a Bridging Multiple Worlds (Cooper, 2014) framework to investigate how military-connected youth access and coordinate resources to overcome challenges. Social network analysis revealed clustering among enlisted participants. On average, civilians reported higher GPAs than military-connected participants, and officers reported higher GPAs than enlisted. Focus group participants perceived their challenges as having contributed to positive outcomes, like making friends. They described needing different friends for the various ways they enrich their lives. Findings suggest differential social and academic experiences in civilian public schools among officer and enlisted military-connected youth.

Author

• Alison Michelle Black, University of California - San Diego