A Comparison between the Same-Ethnicity and Cross-Ethnicity Friendship Quality of Adolescents in Viet Nam

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the differences between the same-ethnicity and the cross-ethnicity friendship quality of adolescents in Viet Nam. Participants were 200 ethnic majority students and 200 ethnic minority students from two public high schools in DakLak, Viet Nam. The participants answered the McGill Friendship Questionnaire-Respondent's Affection (MFQ-RA). The findings showed that there was no significant difference in the same-ethnicity friendship quality between adolescents from ethnic majority and minority groups. However, in terms of the cross-ethnicity friendship quality, adolescents from the ethnic minority groups got significantly higher positive feelings for friends than those from the ethnic majority group. The results revealed that the differences between genders in the same-ethnicity friendship quality were significant. Meanwhile, there were significant differences between genders in cross-ethnicity friendship quality. In fact, girls got significantly higher positive feelings for a friend and the overall same-ethnicity friendship quality than boys. These findings are discussed vis-à-vis previous research on intra-and inter-ethnic friendships and gender comparisons in friendships.