Adolescent materialism, parental and peer materialism, parental and peer support and adolescent well-being

Recent research highlights how the current materialistic culture of the UK has a detrimental effect on young people's lives. The present study aimed to investigate how parent and peer relationships impacts on adolescent materialism and wellbeing. A correlational design was employed, utilising standardised questionnaires, previously validated as appropriate tools for the topics and age of participants. Participants (N= 166) aged 13-15 were recruited from two secondary schools in South England. Adolescents completed measures of materialism, peer support, parental support, perceived peer group pressure, contingent self-worth and wellbeing. Parents (N=47) of participants completed measures of materialism and parental support. Parents' and perceived peers' materialism significantly predicted adolescent materialism, accounting for 51% of the variance in adolescent materialism. Several new findings to existing research on adolescent materialism are presented. Peer support moderated the effect of perceived peers' materialism on adolescents' own materialism. Pro-social behaviour predicted lower materialism, and additionally was a partial mediator of the relationship between perceived peer group pressure and adolescent materialism. Adolescent materialism predicted poorer well-being. Perceived parental support predicted higher well-being. Whilst higher materialism of parents and peers are associated with increases in adolescent materialism, social support may help reduce the negative consequences of adolescent materialism.