Cliques formed early in childhood typically consist of same-sex members; they later begin to diversify, with an increase in mixed-gender cliques in middle and later adolescence (Dunphy 1963; Hartup 1996). Dexter Dunphy’s classic study of Australian adolescent cliques suggests that cliques prepare adolescents for the heterosocial world. Cliques vary in size, but remain small enough to allow frequent interaction among members.

This article presents a discussion of peer relationships, family relationships, and the contexts of middle or junior high and high school as experienced by normally developing adolescent.

During adolescence, you’ll notice changes in the way your child interacts with family, friends and peers. Every child’s social and emotional development is different. Your child’s development is shaped by your child’s unique combination of genes, brain development, environment, experiences with family and friends, and community and culture.

In describing the developmental stages from same-sex to mixed-sex peer networks, Dunphy (1969) posited that upper-status members of unisexual cliques tended to be the first to initiate interactions with other-sex peers, later imitated by lower-status members. Results are partially consistent with Dunphy’s classic account of the emergence of mixed-sex groups in adolescence, but suggest that in early adolescence, mixed-sex group affiliation is significantly associated with deviant behavior and peripheral social status, not with popularity.

Findings indicate that relationships become more exclusive, dyadic, of longer duration, and more emotionally and sexually intimate over the course of adolescence. Moreover, relationship experience in adolescence is associated with an increased likelihood of cohabitation and marriage in young adulthood. These findings indicate that instead of being trivial or fleeting, adolescent romantic relationships are an integral part of the social scaffolding on which young adult romantic relationships rest.