Group Identification in Early Adolescence: Its Relation with Peer Adjustment and Its Moderator Effect on Peer Influence.

Investigated the relationship between peer group identification and similarity between individuals involved in problem behavior, and whether group identification moderated group influence on development of delinquent behavior among Italian sixth- and seventh-graders. Found that group behavior interacted with reciprocity of group nominations in predicting individual behavior, while group identification moderated peer influence on the individual's change in delinquency. (JPB)