Developmental changes in best friendship quality during emerging adulthood

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine change in four features of best friendship quality (intimacy, companionship, reliable alliance and conflict) from age 19 to 30 by gender and investment in romantic life. To this end, 363 participants (58% women) were asked about the quality of the relationship with their best friend and their level of investment in romantic life at ages 19, 20, 21, 22, 25 and 30. Latent growth curve analysis revealed a slight increase in reliable alliance and companionship and a slight decrease in intimacy in the early 20s followed by a steeper drop for these three features (quadratic trajectories), while conflict declined linearly. Women reported higher levels of intimacy and companionship and less conflict than men did at 19 years old. Also, their intimacy diminished throughout their 20s, slightly at first but more strongly thereafter. For men, it was lower early on and remained stable afterwards. Finally, investment in romantic life at age 19 was associated with change in intimacy levels shared with their best friend. This study confirms that features of best friendship quality change differently from one another during emerging adulthood and demonstrates the influence of gender and investment in romantic life on these changes.

Social Media Friendship Jealousy

“…Indeed, the structure and function of friendships change with age ( Bhattacharya et al, 2016 ; Dunbar, 2018 ; Roy et al, 2022 ). In particular, intimacy has been shown to decrease from age 19 to age 30, especially for women ( Langheit & Poulin, 2022 ), which may make older women less vulnerable to social media friendship jealousy than younger women (see Study 2).…”

Social media and mental health: The role of interpersonal relationships and social media use motivations, in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of Spanish emerging adults

“…Family and friendship ties are essential during emerging adulthood, the period in which individuals abandon the security of the parental home, to build friendships and romantic relationships (Langheit & Poulin, 2022). Along with parents, friends are among the most pivotal relationships during the transition to adulthood (Marshall et al, 2010).…”

Say you’ll be there: Associations between observed verbal responses, friendship quality, and perceptions of support in young adult friendships

“…For example, romantic relationships, particularly marriages, may be longer and comprise more frequent interactions compared to young adult friendships, which may result in a stronger link between relationship quality and perceptions of support. Moreover, young adults typically have multiple friends ( Krems et al, 2021 ), and the relative closeness of these individual friendships may change over time, such that friendships are routinely upgraded and downgraded ( Langheit and Poulin, 2022 ). Given these possible differences, young adults may be more diagnostic in their interactions with friends, paying more attention to the ways in which their friend is providing support.…”

“…Friendship quality comprises the provisions, or benefits, that the relationship confers ( Asher and Weeks, 2018 ). Friendships involve both negative qualities, such as conflict and betrayal, and positive qualities, including companionship and intimacy, which are relatively independent from each other (see Dryburgh et al, 2022 ; Langheit and Poulin, 2022 ). Support is a key positive feature of friendship (e.g., Furman and Buhrmester, 1985 ; Simpkins and Parke, 2001 ), accordingly, we anticipate that in friendships with more positive features, individuals may feel more supported during interactions with their friends.…”