The Peer Relations Lab is under the direction of Sarah Borowski, Ph.D., at Lehigh University. We are affiliated with the Department of Psychology and are located in Chandler-Ullmann Hall. Our website provides information to researchers, students, and families about our scientific activities. Please explore this site to learn about our research, how to get involved in our lab, and how to participate in a research study!

Research in our lab focuses how friendships affect adolescents’ development and well-being. The majority of our research considers adolescents’ experiences disclosing to close friends and receiving support from close friends in response to disclosures about personal problems. We examine friendship interactions using survey, observational, and physiological assessments. Our research aims to identify behavioral, physiological, and emotional mechanisms that help explain how interactions with close friends contribute to adolescents’ well-being.