Context and companionship in children’s short-term versus long-term friendships

Abstract

Children (N = 341) and their mothers participated in interviews when children were in fourth and fifth grades. Mothers and children worked together to identify children's friends across various contexts of their lives. Children rated the companionship of each friendship and friendships were coded as either short term or long term. Higher levels of companionship were associated with increased odds of a friendship being long term, as was a friendship being maintained within the contexts of neighborhood, family friend, relative-as-friend, and efforts of parents. A friendship being maintained in more contexts was associated with increased odds of the friendship being long term. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for the understanding and support of children's friendships.

The changes in biethnic acceptance across daily settings and biethnic adolescents' psychological well‐being during middle school transition

“…Interestingly, the prevailing pattern observed in this study is one of stasis—the majority of adolescents remained in one profile throughout the period. This may suggest that the social settings during elementary and middle school tend to exhibit a relatively stable nature rather than significant changes (Hamm & Faircloth, 2005; Troutman & Fletcher, 2010). The social dynamics and relationships established during elementary school may continue to exert an influence on the biethnic acceptance experiences of adolescents during middle school, suggesting the importance of forming positive relationships early on.…”

Chapter 10 Endocrine Disorders

“…Most children spend the majority of their lives within a relatively small community area -as a consequence, they become familiar with their local environment and this not only gives them confi dence, but also contributes to the development and maintenance of friendships. Children tend to make friends readily and via a variety of mechanisms: school, local clubs (such as swimming lessons) and in the immediate vicinity of their homes; Troutman and Fletcher ( 2010 ) found that friendships were more likely to be maintained if they crossed diff erent contexts (e.g. school, neighbourhood and extracurricular activities) as this provides children with the opportunity to interact within a variety of diff erent circumstances.…”