RICK NAUERT PHD, Psych Central, January 13, 2011
"Hanging out with the right group of friends is especially important as children transition from elementary to middle school.
"University of Oregon psychologists say the new friendships may directly influence a teenager’s potential academic success or future challenges in high school and beyond.
"A new study, appearing in the February issue of the Journal of Early Adolescence, found that boys and girls whose friends are socially active in ways where rules are respected do better in their classroom work.
"Having friends who engage in problem behavior, in contrast, is related to a decrease in their grades.
"Having pro-social friends and staying away from deviant peers proved more effective for academic payoffs than simply being friends with high-achieving peers."