Peer Influence Experiences and Personal–Social Competencies among Late Adolescents: Evidence from a Private Higher Education Institution in the Philippines

This study examined the association between peer pressure (peer influence experiences) and adolescents’ social behavior, operationalized through personal and social competencies, among late adolescents enrolled in a private higher education institution (HEI) in the Philippines. Using a quantitative descriptive–correlational design, data were collected from 100 senior high school and early college students aged 17–19 through a structured questionnaire covering (a) personal and social competencies (prosocial behavior and empathy; self-regulation and emotional control; responsibility and autonomy; social awareness and respect) and (b) peer influence experiences (social conformity pressure; risky behavior pressure; boundary and independence difficulties; internal justifications). Descriptive findings indicated generally adequate competency levels, with stronger endorsement of prosocial behavior/empathy and social awareness/respect, while emotional control and responsibility items showed comparatively more neutral responses. Participants reported neutral experiences of conformity-related pressure and boundary difficulties, and generally disagreed with risky-behavior pressure and internal-justification items. Pearson correlation results indicated a positive association between peer pressure and social behavior (r = 0.347, p<0.001), suggesting that variations in perceived peer influence are meaningfully related to adolescents’ day-to-day social functioning. Findings support the development of a targeted enhancement program focusing on emotional regulation, responsibility, assertiveness, and resilience to promote healthier peer relations and adaptive social behavior.