Behavioral, Affective, and Social Correlates of Involvement in Cross-Sex Friendship in Elementary School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare children with and without cross-sex friends on measures of social and cognitive competence, endorsement of sex-role stereotypes, and family composition. Subjects were 723 third and fourth graders (377 girls, 346 boys) from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds; 35% were African American. Measures included sociometric assessments of peer acceptance, friendship, and behavioral reputation, as well as self-reports of perceived self-competence and endorsement of sex-role stereotypes. In addition, teachers completed ratings of children's social and cognitive competence. In all, 92 children, about 14% of the sample, had one or more reciprocal opposite-sex friends; for 21 of these children, their cross-sex friendships were their primary or only friendships. African American children were more likely than European American children to have opposite-sex friends. Involvement in cross-sex friendships was unrelated to the gender make-up of the classroom but was related to family structure. Comparisons of the children who had primarily or only cross-sex friends to matched groups of children who had only same-sex friends and to children who had cross-sex friends secondarily to same-sex ones revealed a number of differences between the groups in social competence and relationships with peers. Overall, children with primarily opposite-sex friends had poorer social skills than other children with friends, although they were less stereotyped about sex roles than other children, and were better adjusted than children with no friends on most measures. In contrast, children involved in opposite-sex friendship secondarily to same-sex friendship were as well adjusted socially as children with only same-sex friendships. These results suggest that children with cross-sex friends differ among themselves, depending on the primacy of the cross-sex relationship.

A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

“…Behavioral Styles-Girls and boys interact with same-sex peers more frequently than opposite-sex peers (Bukowski, Gauze, Hoza, & Newcomb, 1993;Kovacs, Parker, & Hoffman, 1996;Maccoby, 1998;Maccoby & Jacklin, 1987;Martin & Fabes, 2001), and different relationship styles are formed within same-sex male versus female peer groups (Leaper, 1994;Maccoby, 1998). Table 1 summarizes the results of relevant studies regarding girls' and boys' behavioral styles with peers.…”

How Do Children with ADHD (Mis)manage Their Real-Life Dyadic Friendships? A Multi-Method Investigation

“…One of the most striking results is that, across cultures, almost all children have same-sex friends, a preference that starts in preschool and increases in elementary school (Maccoby, 1998;Ramsey, 1995). Jeffrey Parker and his colleagues (Kovacs, Parker, & Hoffman, 1996) showed in a study of more than 700 children in grades 3 and 4 that cross-sex friendships represented less than 5% of reciprocal friendships. In fact, the researchers also found that children who display a preference for cross-sex friendships are likely to be rejected by their peers.…”

Face-to-face Interaction Behaviors of Preadolescent Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Friends and Acquaintances

“…And studies on early adolescents similarly show same-sex preference for friends [10]. Of some concern is that children with primarily opposite-sex friends in those classrooms had poorer social skills than those with same-sex friends [4]. The interactions of the opposite-sex friends were less positive than same-sex friends in the current study including that they had more similar vocalizations and body movements, they laughed more, they showed less latent responding, and they spent more time agreeing and less time disagreeing.…”

“…That 30% of the children chose opposite sex children as their best friends was not surprising in light of data showing that 14% of a sample of third and fourth graders had selected opposite-sex friends [4]. And studies on early adolescents similarly show same-sex preference for friends [10].…”