Adolescent peer facilitators - Myth and reality

The purpose of this research was to examine the rationale of using peers rather than adults as facilitators in prevention programs. Two research questions were asked: Do students really prefer their peers as facilitators to expert adults? Are the facilitator's perceived as special friends to whom their peers can turn for help and advice in time of need? Participating in the study were 1,106 eighth to eleventh grade students, led by their classmates in a peer facilitation program. The subjects responded to a questionnaire prepared especially for this study. While most of the subjects stated that they preferred peer facilitators to teachers, this was not borne out by the findings. When other variables of the program were carefully examined, it turned out that it was the content variable that explained satisfaction from the program, rather than variables of the 'facilitator' or the 'process' clusters. Moreover, the findings show that the peer facilitator does not become a source for their peers to turn to in time of distress. They remain in the role of 'classmates' and do not acquire the status of 'special friend.'