Social Anxiety and Friendship Quality over Time

Abstract

High social anxiety in adults is associated with self-report of impaired friendship quality, but not necessarily with impairment reported by friends. Further, prospective prediction of social anxiety and friendship quality over time has not been tested among adults. We therefore examined friendship quality and social anxiety prospectively in 126 young adults (67 primary participants and 59 friends, aged 17–22 years); the primary participants were screened to be extreme groups to increase power and relevance to clinical samples (i.e., they were recruited based on having very high or very low social interaction anxiety). The prospective relationships between friendship quality and social anxiety were then tested using an Actor–Partner Interdependence Model. Friendship quality prospectively predicted social anxiety over time within each individual in the friendship, such that higher friendship quality at Time 1 predicted lower social anxiety approximately 6 months later at Time 2. Social anxiety did not predict friendship quality. Although the results support the view that social anxiety and friendship quality have an important causal relationship, the results run counter to the assumption that high social anxiety causes poor friendship quality. Interventions to increase friendship quality merit further consideration.     

中学生同伴依恋的特点及其与友谊质量的关系:社会交往目标的中介作用

以593名初高中学生为被试, 用问卷法考察中学生同伴依恋的特点, 并探讨同伴依恋与交往目标、友谊质量的关系。结果表明:(1)中学生同伴依恋可分为安全型、专注型、回避型和恐惧型, 它们在中学生群体中的比例分别为34.5%、23.8%、22.1%和19.6%;(2)中学生同伴依恋的年级、性别差异显著:依恋焦虑初二显著高于高一, 依恋回避初一显著高于初二、高一和高二;男生依恋焦虑显著低于女生, 依恋回避显著高于女生;(3)不同依恋类型中学生交往目标、友谊质量差异显著;(4)交往目标中的帮助与支持、亲密性在同伴依恋和总体友谊质量关系中起部分中介作用。     

Friendship as a moderator of the relationship between social skills problems and peer victimisation

Previous research, primarily in North America, has found that individual factors (e.g., ‘internalising problems’) and social factors (e.g., friendship) interact to influence children's levels of peer victimisation. Some research has found that the identity of children's friends and friendship quality (as ‘protective factors’) are more important than the sheer number of friends. However, studies have produced conflicting findings. A peer nomination inventory was used to assess social skills problems, peer victimisation, peer acceptance, and several different aspects of friendship. Four hundred and forty‐nine children aged 9 to 11 years completed the inventory at two time points over the course of an academic year. Social skills problems were found to predict an increase in peer victimisation over time. Two friendship variables were found to moderate this relationship: a) number of friends, and b) the peer acceptance of the very best‐friend. The relationship was found to be weaker for those children with lots of friends and for those children with a ‘popular’ best‐friend. The findings advance understanding of the factors that promote peer victimisation. Aggr. Behav. 32:110–121, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Thoughtful Friends: Executive Function Relates to Social Problem Solving and Friendship Quality in Middle Childhood

Abstract

The present study examined links between best friendship quality, social problem solving in response to a transgression and conscious control of behavior (i.e., executive function or EF). Eighty-one 7- to 10-year-olds answered questions about their best friendship quality and responses to friendship transgressions (i.e., interpretations, goals, and strategies they would endorse). They also completed a battery of EF tasks measuring working memory, inhibition, and shifting. Results revealed few relations between social problem solving and best friendship quality. Social problem solving related to EF abilities, with inhibition relating to fewer revenge goals and cognitive flexibility relating to more neutral interpretations. Better working memory related to worse best friendship quality. Finally, verbal IQ was a strong predictor of several positive social problem-solving interpretations, goals, and strategies. Results suggest cognitive abilities in EF and language may be important to consider during middle childhood in this period of advancing social problem solving and friendships.     

Effects of Friendship Circles on the Social Interactions of Elementary Age Students with Mild Disabilities

This study assessed the effects of Friendship Circles on the social interactions between students with mild disabilities and their nondisabled peers. A multiple probe design was used to analyze the social interactions during lunch. Data also were collected in the form of sociograms and anecdotal records. In addition, generalization was assessed during recess observations. Results indicated that the Friendship Circle intervention produced increases in appropriate interactions at lunch for all three students and for two there were increases in friendly play at recess. Anecdotal data suggested improved social interactions for two of the students throughout the day and improved social behaviors in the general education classroom such as cooperation during group activities. Implications for future research are discussed.     

The Development of Delinquency and Perceived Friendship Quality in Adolescent Best Friendship Dyads

The present study examines both the unique and the combined role of best friends' delinquency and perceived friendship quality in the development of adolescent delinquency. Questionnaire data were gathered from 435 Dutch adolescent best friends (mean age at first wave = 12.97) over a period of 5 years with annual assessments. Results showed that mean levels of delinquency and perceived friendship quality increased over time. Adolescent best friends were highly similar in both mean levels and changes in delinquency over time. For boys, similarity in mean level delinquency between best friends was higher than for girls. In addition, only for boys, friends' delinquency is associated with increases in adolescent delinquency over time, and adolescents' delinquency is associated with increases in friends' delinquency over time. No bidirectional longitudinal associations were found between perceived friendship quality and adolescent delinquency. No interaction effects between friendship quality and friends' delinquency on adolescent delinquency were found. Thus, findings were more in support of the differential association theory than of the social control theory.     

小学生同伴接纳对其人格发展的影响：友谊质量的多层级中介效应

以班级为单位选取1-6年级23个班级的小学生,通过最好朋友提名法,得到有互选朋友有效被试700人,采用同伴提名法、小学生友谊质量问卷、小学生人格发展教师评定问卷,运用多层线性模型（HLM）考察个体和班级两个水平上的同伴接纳、友谊质量对人格的影响,并在两个水平上检验友谊质量在同伴接纳对人格的影响上的多层中介效应。结果表明：（1）班级水平：班级平均友谊质量对外倾性、亲社会性、认真自控、情绪稳定性有预测作用;班级平均同伴接纳对情绪稳定性有预测作用。（2）个体水平：同伴接纳对人格5个维度均有直接影响;除情绪稳定性,友谊质量分别在同伴接纳对智能特征、外倾性、亲社会性、认真自控影响上有部分中介效应。     

童年中期社交退缩类型与友谊和孤独感的关系研究

本研究以571名3-6年级的小学生为被试,采用问卷法探讨童年中期儿童社交退缩类型、友谊和孤独感的关系。结果表明:社交退缩儿童的孤独感随年级的升高都是呈现的下降趋势,安静退缩型儿童的孤独感低于活跃退缩型儿童。在互选朋友数量、友谊质量的陪伴和娱乐维度以及亲密与交流维度上不同社交退缩类型的儿童存在差异。友谊在活跃退缩行为和孤独感之间的中介效应是显著的。     

青少年友谊关系质量与社交焦虑的相互影响:一项交叉滞后分析

采用问卷法和追踪设计,通过交叉滞后回归分析,考察初中三年期间698名青少年的友谊关系质量与社交焦虑的相互影响及其动态变化。结果发现,初二到初三期间,青少年友谊关系质量的喜爱-满意维度显著负向预测社交焦虑;初中三年期间,青少年社交焦虑显著负向预测友谊关系质量的喜爱-满意维度;但友谊关系质量的冲突维度与社交焦虑的相互预测作用不显著。这些结果表明,青少年友谊关系的喜爱-满意维度与其社交焦虑之间存在相互影响,而且该相互作用存在一定程度的动态变化。     

Daily School Context of Adolescents' Single Best Friendship and Adjustment

Research on adolescent best friendships typically focuses on school-based friendships, ignoring important differences between classroom-based and out-of-school friendships. With data from 156 ninth-grade students, many of whom named more than 1 best friend across the 14-day period, the authors examined associations between the daily school context of one's best friendship and adjustment. Benefits of in-grade best friendships were found in academic engagement when a composite was assessed across the 2-week period. Daily findings were more complex and were different between weekends and school days. Out-of-grade best friends were named more frequently on weekends, and on weekend days in which they named an out-of-school best friend participants spent more time with that friend but felt like less of a good student. Implications for our understanding of friendship context and for the measurement of friendship itself are discussed.     

多元视角下的异性友谊

异性友谊是一种重要的人际关系。已有研究考察了一般异性友谊的特点、影响和维系, 同时也考察了利友关系的心理特征和身心影响。异性朋友可能会对青少年和大学生的社会适应带来消极影响, 但这一影响可能具有文化差异。进化心理学取向的研究者主要考察了异性友谊的进化功能, 他们认为异性友谊能够帮助个体完成长期择偶目标或短期择偶目标, 同时还能够为个体提供重要的择偶信息。未来研究有必要结合新出现的友谊理论, 考察不同年龄阶段的异性友谊, 同时关注异性友谊中的个体差异变量, 比如人际性行为取向、暗黑三合一性格和择偶智力。     

社交网站中的自我呈现对青少年友谊质量的影响:积极反馈的中介作用

随着网络的日益普及,社交网站已成为人们活动的新领域和人际交往的新媒介。为探讨社交网站中不同的自我呈现方式、积极反馈与友谊质量的关系,采用问卷法对来自武汉市两所普通中学的817名10~19岁的学生进行调查,其中,男生423人,女生366人。研究采用偏差矫正的百分位Bootstrap法,使用Hayes(2012)编制的SPSS宏对中介效应进行检验,结果发现:(1)真实自我呈现和积极自我呈现与积极反馈、友谊质量显著正相关;(2)社交网站中的真实自我呈现既能直接预测青少年的友谊质量,也能通过积极反馈的中介作用对友谊质量产生影响,而积极自我呈现对青少年的友谊质量没有直接预测作用,只能通过积极反馈的完全中介作用对友谊质量产生影响。     

Length and Locus of Friendship Influence Church Members' Sense of Social Support and Comfort with Sharing Emotions

ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether older people involved with religious congregations differentiate their friends within the congregation from their friends outside the congregation in terms of perceptions of social support and their comfort with sharing various positive and negative emotions. The study also examined older adults' perceptions of differences in social support and comfort with sharing emotions with friends they have known a long time and friends they have known for three years or less. The results showed significant differences between long time friends and new friends in terms of a stronger sense of social support and greater comfort with sharing positive and negative emotions. No differences were noted for social support or comfort with sharing emotions in comparisons of friends within and outside of congregations. Study participants were significantly more comfortable sharing positive emotions than negative emotions with all categories of friends and there was a significant positive relation between social support and comfort with sharing emotions. Results are discussed in terms of the types of congregations to which the participants belonged and the role of congregational leaders in providing opportunities for older people to develop and sustain friendships within the faith community.     

Lesbian Friendships: An Exploration of Lesbian Social Support Networks

Lesbians may face unique challenges when building friendships. The intersection of culturally sanctioned discrimination and familial rejection may intensify the role friendships play for lesbians and the development of social support networks. The author discusses existing research and qualitative findings and provides suggestions for counselors working with their lesbian clients.     

论社会公正与社会发展

社会公正与社会发展密切相关。以目的与手段的统一、权利与义务的统一、平等与差异的统一、自由与秩序的统一、竞争与协作的统一、民主与集中的统一、内容与程序的统一为特征的新时代的社会公正是社会发展的核心价值,是确立社会发展目标,构建社会发展框架的根本原则,也是保持社会活力和推动社会发展的强大力量。坚持社会公正与社会发展的统一是社会公正理论进步和社会健康发展的需要。     

The Relation of Reciprocated and Nonreciprocated Friendship Nominations to Peer Social Competence for Chinese Elementary School Children

The authors examined associations between different forms of children’s friendship nomination reciprocity (mutual, unilateral given, unilateral received) and other measures of children’s peer social competence (liking, loneliness, overt aggression, perceived popularity) for 501 Chinese third- to sixth-grade students. Using a multigroup path analysis (with gender as group), for both boys and girls, all three forms of friendship nominations were negatively related to self-reported loneliness. Mutual friendship nominations and unilateral received friendship nominations were positively related to peer nominations for liking and to peer nominations of perceived popularity. The path between unilateral received friendship nominations and perceived popularity was higher for boys than for girls. Also, for boys only, mutual friendship nominations and unilateral received friendship nominations were each negatively related to peer nominations of overt aggression. These patterns are somewhat different from research examining the association of forms of friendships to peer social competence for children in Western cultures. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of the relation of different forms of friendship nominations to children’s peer social competence as well as the broad association of culture for these relations.     

Adolescent Friendship as a Dynamic System: Entropy and Deviance in the Etiology and Course of Male Antisocial Behavior

A dynamic systems framework was applied to understand the influence of friendship on antisocial behavior from childhood (age 9-10) through adulthood (age 24-25) for Oregon Youth Study males (N = 206). Boys were videotaped interacting with a friend at ages 14, 16, and 18, and deviant content and interpersonal processes were independently coded. Conditional dyadic interpersonal processes were studied as a communication system and summarized by an index of information entropy (F. Attneave, 1959). High entropy scores represent disorganized, unpredictable patterns of interaction, whereas low entropy scores reflect an organized dialogue. Conversations of early-onset antisocial boys and their best friends were less organized and included more deviant content than those of well-adjusted controls. Prediction analyses, however, revealed an interaction between entropy and deviant talk. Consistent with expectation, males with well-organized interactions (i.e., low entropy) but elevated levels of deviant content were most likely to continue antisocial behavior into adulthood. Findings suggest that individual risk for maladaptation may be amplified by early adolescent friendship dynamics organized around deviance.     

Development of Social Problem Solving in Early Childhood: Stability,Change, and Associations With Social Competence

Kindergarten and 1st-grade boys were administered social cognitive interviews in 2 consecutive years to investigate the response-generation step of N. R. Crick and K. A. Dodge's (1994) social information processing model. Boys generated responses to 4 types of hypothetical social dilemmas. Responses to these situations were primarily prosocial, with a large minority of avoidant and antisocial solutions. In general, older boys provided more effective solutions than did their younger peers, and stabilities were modest but significant for subcategories of both prosocial and antisocial responses. Boys who were accepted by their peers provided more prosocial and effective solutions than did boys of lower peer status, but no status differences emerged for antisocial responses. The data also suggest that young children view aggression as an acceptable means to solving peer conflict.