Child, Family & Development / Child Wellbeing
SUB-T02-036Peer Relationships
Definition
Peer Relationships is the systematic study and design of conditions, interventions and safeguards affecting children or families within child wellbeing.
Why this matters
Children have evolving capabilities and limited power over many systems affecting them. Errors in peer relationships can create developmental, relational, educational, health or safety consequences that persist.
Research questions
How do online and AI-mediated interactions affect friendship quality, belonging and conflict?
Hypotheses
Tools that support repair and perspective-taking will improve peer outcomes more than popularity or engagement optimisation.
Proposed methods
validated wellbeing scales, ecological momentary assessment, sleep and activity measures where appropriate, qualitative interviews, subgroup analysis and longitudinal follow-up; adapted specifically to Peer Relationships; child-appropriate participatory methods; caregiver and practitioner input; age-stratified analysis; validated developmental measures; service-pathway testing; safeguarding review; delayed or longitudinal follow-up; implementation-fidelity assessment
Stakeholders and beneficiaries
children; families; clinicians; schools; youth services; public-health agencies; researchers; community organisations; peer relationships specialists; lived-experience family advisory panel; independent child-rights reviewer