Adolescents' Groups in Senegal

Abstract

From 1000 students attending each of the secondary public schools in Senegal (West Africa) responses to a brief questionnaire were analyzed for characteristics of favourite peer groups. More than 80% of the respondents belonged to one or several groups. Their activities were: culture (216 %), sports (21 2%), dance-parties (18.8%), social evenings (10.7%), music (99%), and day-tripping (6%). As regards size, the number counting 11 or more members was four times the number of those counting less than 11. Girls formed smaller groups than did boys. About a third of the groups were non-mixed. Boys more than girls belonged to mixed groups. School environment had a minor influence on the establishment of groups outside school. The qualities of the groups' leader (when existing) were: discipline, experience, wisdom, and maturity. Conflicts with other groups were mainly due to rivalries concerning girls. Internal conflicts (lack of understanding) were more frequent. The ideas advocated by the groups were principally: solidarity, unity (23.6%), and struggle against social injustices (11.8%). Despite the unquestionable influence of Western culture in the groups' names (70% were in French), the prevailing aspirations in the choice of names were symptomatic of the shaping of the adolescents' identity: appeal to solidarity, awareness of their youthfulness and of their black personality.