“With Friends, It’s Harder to Have a Serious Conversation”: Expectations of Youth when Disclosing Mental Health Concerns With Peers

Rachel E. Riggs, Jaclyn C. Pickens, Thomas G. Kimball, Eric E. Rasmussen, Sarah M. Wakefield, School of Communication, University of North Florida, Department of Community, and Addiction Sciences, Texas Tech University, Department of Public Relations and Strategic Communication Management, Texas Tech University, Department of Psychiatry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

Published online on June 07, 2026

Abstract

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Ahead of Print.
Adolescence and emerging adulthood can be emotionally turbulent periods, in which individuals may experience anxiety, stress, or other mental illness. Individuals who fit into these developmental periods (hereby called “youth”) are characterized by a ...