Friendship Jealousy in Young Adolescents: Individual Differences and Links to Sex, Self-Esteem, Aggression, and Social Adjustment.

Abstract

Children's vulnerability to jealousy surrounding their best friends was explored in 2 studies. Study 1 involved 94 adolescents who reported on their friendship jealousy on a newly created measure. Results indicated that the jealousy measure had sound psychometric properties and produced individual differences that were robust over time and free from socially desirable responding. As expected, girls and adolescents with low self-worth reported the greatest friendship jealousy. Study 2 involved 399 young adolescents and extended the measurement of self-report jealousy to a broader age range. In addition, Study 2 included assessments of jealousy provided by friends and other peers. Self- and peer-reported jealousy were only modestly associated and had somewhat distinct correlates. Structural modeling revealed that young adolescents' reputation for friendship jealousy was linked to behaving aggressively and to broader peer adjustment difficulties. Both self- and peer-reported jealousy contributed to loneliness.

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

“…Recent research with late childhood and early adolescent youth also examines whether girls feel more jealousy than boys over their friends' relationships with others. The findings are not completely consistent, with sex differences emerging in some cases but not others (Parker, Low, Walker, & Gamm, 2005;Roth & Parker, 2001). However, the effect sizes tend to favor girls, and may be especially large when classmates' reports are used as compared to when self report or friend reports are used .…”

“…Moreover, evidence supports relations between some aspects of social-cognitive style and indexes of adjustment (e.g., LaGreca et al, 1988;LaGreca & Lopez, 1998;Parker et al, 2005). However, little empirical data actually test whether sex-linked social-cognitive styles mediate sex differences in emotional and behavioral adjustment.…”

Prospective associations of co-rumination with friendship and emotional adjustment: Considering the socioemotional trade-offs of co-rumination.

“…This work largely focuses on protective functions of friendships, such as providing companionship, reliable alliances, and validation (Asher & Parker, 1989;Newcomb & Bagwell, 1995;Sullivan, 1953). Recently, more attention has been paid to the risks of friendships, such as those related to having deviant friends (e.g., Brendgen, Vitaro, & Bukowski, 2000) or experiencing jealousy in friendships (Parker, Low, Walker, & Gamm, 2005). In contrast to work that examines either protective or risk factors, very little attention has been paid to the idea that some friendship processes have both costs and benefits (Rose & Rudolph, 2006).…”

Peer Relationships in Adolescence

“…Marsh, Allen, Ho, Porter, and McFarland ( 2006 ) demonstrated that, over time, early adolescents with high levels of ego development are more successful in forming close attachments to friends, establishing intimate friendships, and achieving a high level of (sociometric) popularity among peers. However, Parker, Low, Walker, and Gamm ( 2005 ) traced inclinations toward and reputations for jealousy in friendships among White, lower to middle -class rural early adolescents in the United States. Feelings of jealousy exacerbated a sense of loneliness, even among those who lacked friends and were not well liked.…”