Adolescence is a time of rapid growth, self-discovery, and social navigation. For many teens, the social dynamics in school play a pivotal role in shaping their mental and emotional well-being. One of the most significant elements of this social structure is the presence of cliques.
Teen cliques are exclusive groups that can provide a sense of belonging for some, while leaving others feeling left out. And cliques are nothing new. They’ve existed in schools across America for generations. Understanding the effects of cliques on high school students and their mental health can help parents and educators learn how to best support the teens in their lives.
Key Takeaways
- A clique is an exclusive group whose members find identity and belonging through their affiliation.
- Teens excluded from cliques often struggle with feelings of alienation and low self-esteem.
- Cliques can reinforce stereotypes about people from different racial, cultural, educational, or socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Parents can help teens distinguish between positive friend groups and negative or unhealthy cliques.
What Is a “Clique”?
A clique is an exclusive group whose members find identity and belonging through their affiliation. As teens age and become more independent from their caregivers, they rely much more heavily on peers and friends for a sense of belonging. This is a normal and healthy inclination. Good friendships can help teens learn healthy communication patterns, secure attachment, and how to become a better person in the world.
However, adolescent social belonging goes both ways. Teens who fall into toxic group dynamics or unhealthy friendships may struggle with problems like worse mental health, feeling ostracized or bullied, peer pressure, substance use, and feeling like an outsider.
Unlike broader friend groups, cliques are often characterized by an “us vs. them” mentality, with clear boundaries about who belongs and who does not. Examples of cliques include the popular kids, athletes, band or choir members, and more niche groups like anime fans or gamers. While social connections with like-minded people are normal and necessary for adolescents, cliques can breed exclusivity dynamics that are isolating or harmful to those outside the group.
Types of Cliques in High School
Cliques are a near-universal experience in high schools. Around half of American adults recall their own high schools as having clearly defined social cliques. Many of these groups, such as the “jocks” and “populars,” have remained consistent across generations. More recently, however, newer cliques have emerged that reflect the evolving interests of today’s young people and the pressures they feel.
Some common high school cliques across today’s schools include:
- Populars: Socially dominant, often influential in school culture
- Jocks: Sports-oriented groups, often admired for athletic achievements
- Brains: Academically focused students who may feel pressure to excel
- Fine arts kids: Students involved in music, theater, or visual arts
- Stoners/druggies: Groups associated with countercultural or rebellious behavior
- Anime fans: Enthusiasts of manga, cosplay, and Japanese culture
- Floaters: Teens who move between groups, often avoiding strict affiliations
Despite variations in name and focus over the generations, cliques continue to influence how teens perceive themselves and interact with others.
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The Mental Health Impact of Cliques
The effects of cliques on teens can vary widely depending on whether a student is inside or outside the group.
Some mental health impacts for “outsiders” include:
- Loneliness and isolation: Teens excluded from cliques often struggle with feelings of alienation and low self-esteem.
- Social anxiety: Constant worry about fitting in or being judged can take a toll on a teen’s mental health.
- Anxiety and depression: Teens who struggle with feeling like they don’t belong and don’t have a good sense of community are more likely to develop anxiety and depression later in life.
Effects of teen social cliques on “insiders” include:
- Pressure to conform: members of cliques may feel pressure to adopt certain behaviors or attitudes to maintain their status within the group, even when those attitudes don’t align with their values or personality.
- Fear of “the Other”: Cliques can reinforce stereotypes about people from different racial, cultural, educational, or socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Group anxiety: High-achieving cliques, such as the “brains,” often face heightened stress due to academic and extracurricular demands. This pressure can ripple throughout the group, increasing anxiety levels for both the group as a whole and its individual members.
- Exclusivity-driven guilt: Teens within cliques may feel guilty, conflicted, or ambivalent if their group excludes or bullies others.
Do Cliques Cause Bullying?
Cliques don’t inherently cause bullying, but they can create environments that foster it. The exclusivity and “us vs. them” mindset of many cliques can lead to:
- Teasing
- Exclusion or giving outsiders the cold shoulder
- Social power imbalance
- “Mean girl” behavior (which isn’t contained to girls—teens of any gender can be mean)
- Overt bullying of those deemed different or inferior
While not all cliques are harmful, the potential for power imbalances makes it crucial to consider the dynamics they create.
The Difference Between a Positive Friend Group and a Negative Teen Clique
Not all social groups are harmful. Having a supportive circle of friends can be one of the most protective and positive influences in a teen’s mental health. The key lies in distinguishing between positive friend groups and negative or unhealthy groups or cliques.
Positive Friend Groups
A healthy friend group is inclusive, supportive, and flexible. Members likely have shared values or similar interests. However, they feel accepted for who they are, without being compelled to conform to specific behaviors or attitudes. Positive friend groups often:
- Encourage individuality: Everyone can express their unique interests and opinions without fear of judgment.
- Support growth: Friends celebrate each other’s achievements and provide encouragement during challenges.
- Support other friendships: Healthy friend groups don’t try to control their members’ inclusion in other friendships or groups.
- Welcome others: Rather than shunning or hazing new people, healthy friend groups embrace new friendships.
Negative Social Groups or Cliques
In contrast, a clique often operates on exclusivity, control, and rigid dynamics. Members may feel pressure to act, dress, or think in specific ways to remain part of the group. Negative cliques often:
- Enforce conformity: Teens may feel they must hide or suppress their true selves to fit in.
- Create hierarchies: Power imbalances can leave some members feeling undervalued or controlled.
- Exclude outsiders: Cliques typically reject people in order to maintain a sense of superiority or exclusivity. Those who don’t align with their values or norms are often left out.
Key Questions to Ask Your Teen About Their Friendship Groups
To help your teen evaluate their social group, consider having open discussions with them around these questions:
- Does this group support you, provide encouragement, and make you feel good about yourself?
- Can you be your authentic self around your friends?
- Does the group promote positive behavior and mutual respect?
- Are new people welcomed, or is the group intentionally exclusive?
Helping teens recognize these differences can empower them to make their own decisions about the relationships in their lives.
How Parents Can Help Children Navigate Teen Cliques
Parents play a critical role in helping teens navigate friendships and social challenges. Here are some ways you can support your child throughout this process:
Foster Open Communication
Encourage your teen to share their experiences and feelings about their social life. Don’t tell them what they should do or force them into making a choice that isn’t theirs, unless their life is in immediate danger. Instead, listen without judgment and provide a safe space for them to express concerns.
Build Empathy
Teach kids to think for themselves when it comes to considering the feelings of others. Whether they are part of a clique or feeling excluded, understanding how to be kind and inclusive is among the top ideal skills for any teen to develop.
Encourage Diverse Friendships
Help your child develop relationships across different social groups. This can broaden their perspective, help them break out of “us vs them” mentality, and reduce reliance on exclusive cliques.
Promote Self-Worth
Remind your teen that their value isn’t defined by what anyone else thinks. This includes their social status or membership in any particular group. Encourage hobbies, passions, and achievements that allow them to feel fully like themselves and build confidence.
Monitor for Red Flags
Be alert for signs of mental health problems in your child. These may include warning signs of bullying, isolation, or changes in mood. If your teen appears overwhelmed by social pressures, consider seeking professional support.
Teen Treatment at Newport Academy
If your teen is struggling with depression, anxiety, bullying, or “othering” from the social dynamics in their life, Newport Academy is here to help. Teen treatment at Newport Academy encompasses care for teens on the mental, emotional, and relational levels. Our teen residential treatment centers and adolescent outpatient programs address root causes and help teens and their families develop life skills to support long-term mental health recovery and growth.
We know firsthand that comprehensive therapy programs are more likely to promote sustained healing. That’s why we offer support in multiple areas of a teen’s life, regardless of the program you choose. We provide:
- Individual therapy to support your teen in exploring healing at their own pace
- Group therapy to introduce healthy peer connections, bonding, and healing around similar challenges
- Experiential therapies like meditation, yoga, art, and horticulture all allow your teen to engage in hands-on healing
- Individualized academic support to ensure your child doesn’t fall behind on schoolwork
- Group therapy so your teen feels seen and understood by peers navigating similar issues
- Family therapy to improve parent-child dynamics, encourage authentic communication, and heal family ruptures
Start your healing journey today. To learn more about teen treatment at Newport and see whether it’s right for your family, contact us for a free teen mental health assessment. in paying for treatment, we collaborate with Tribal divisions to optimize access to care for teens and their families. Get in touch with us today to learn more and start the healing journey.
Sources
Fam Med Community Health. 2023 Jun 30; 11(2).
J Adolesc Res. 2018 Dec; 34(5).
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