Running head: ADOLESCENT FRIENDSHIPS 1

Adolescent Friendships Cherry Thin James Cook University Singapore

Abstract

ADOLESCENT FRIENDSHIPS

This essay discusses 2 studies made on adolescent friendships and attachment styles. The studies were carried out on adolescents aged 13 to 19. The first study examined relationship between self-disclosure and coherence with intimacy while the second study, which was a collaboration of 2 studies, researched on the attachment scales to see best friend relationships. These studies made significant contributions on the research of the importance of adolescent friendships. Different types of bonds affect differently to each adolescent and this helps to shape their future relationship. The two articles explain further about adolescent friendship with figures on test participants.

Adolescent Friendships

ADOLESCENT FRIENDSHIPS

Various studies have been conducted to find out more about adolescent friendships and also many forms of scales have been produced to test adolescent attachment factor. Adolescent friendships place an immensely significant role in a persons as it has the ability to shape future relations and interaction with others in adulthood. Adolescence is a phase where people start to explore further into the world of friendships. It is no longer just play mates but friends start to become confidantes and advisors. Teenagers start to look up more to their friends than their parents and spend more time with their friends as well. This means that peer relations can impact an individual intensely during adolescence. At this age, teenagers, seek acceptance and approval of their peer groups. During adolescence, friendships take a central stage and become more stable. This paper explores various dimensions of adolescent friendship and the concise making of scales used to measure attachment of adolescent friendship in order for it to be reliable. During adolescence, teenagers strive towards autonomy. (Rawlins, 1992 as cited in; Bauminger, Finzi-Dottan, Chason, & Har-Even, 2008) This means that they are in a transition from being dependent on their parents to becoming more independent and testing the waters on their own. This strive if successful can help to increase self esteem and confidence levels which is very important for future interaction during adulthood.Also, this enforces acceptance and self-validation among peer groups. Friends as well as parents at this stage are seen as a source of information for consultation and making decisions (Rawlin, & Holl, 1988 as cited in; Bauminger, Finzi-Dottan, Chason, & Har-Even, 2008). Another aspect researched upon in the study by Bauminger, Finzi-Dottan, Chason, & HarEven, 2008, was coherence. It is said that coherence comes with three primary dimensions which are comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness (Antonovsky, 1987). It was seen that attachment has links with coherence and intimacy.

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The study conducted by Bauminger, Finzi-Dottan, Chason, & Har-Even (2008) had 196 participants; 116 boys and 80 girls, aged between 12 to 15 years. It was carried out in Israel. It tested the children on their attachment style which was either secure or, anxious or avoidant, which in turn linked to self-coherence and self-disclosure they displayed which would then result in the amount of intimacy put in friendships. The result of the study was that when intimacy and coherence was high, it mediated attachment. In other words, attachment style did not remain very significant if the individual had self-coherence and was able to maintain intimate friendship with peers. A limitation of this study was that close dyadic friendship was overlooked and not deeply researched upon. It was stated that further studies should include dyadic investigations of friendship qualities, as well as both friends personal characteristics, to fully understand the processes that lead to intimacy development in adolescent friendships. Adolescence is seen as a period of physical, psychological, and social transformation (Wilkinson, 2008). This study did 2 researches. The aim of this study was to develop a scale that would measure best friend relationship. The study used the AFAS which is the Adolescent Friendship Attachment Scale which consists of 30 self-report questionnaires which focused on best friend relationship. This can be a supporting study for the abovementioned research on coherence and intimacy. There were 490 participants who were student volunteers aged between 13 and 19 years. There were a total of 367 females and 123 males from middle to upper socioeconomic background from English speaking families. The AFAS was presented to them along with a Relationship Questionnaire (RQ). The IPPA (The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment) was also given to the participants to fill up. The results of this study showed that those with a secure style had highest level of secure friendship attachment while those with a dismissing style reported highest level of avoidant friendship attachment. Girls scored higher on secure attachment while in other attachment styles no significant difference was seen. This study

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produced a hierarchical factor structure with the foundation of global friendship as a 30 item scale for adolescent friendship. AFAS was seen to be moderately or highly related to cliques attachment (IPPA scale) more than best friend attachments. The AFAS was consistent and stable (Wilkinson, 2008). The second study conducted by Wilkinson (2008) was a replication of the previous study to see if it would produce similar outcomes. In this study, the sample size was larger consisting of 551 females and 236 males aged between 14 to 19 years. The results seemed to be consistent with that of study one with some minor variations. It was concluded that the research supports that there is a positive relationship between attachment security and the quality of relationship. The AFAS was consistent and since the study produced similar results after being replicated, the reliability increased. However, the research failed to show the impact of adolescent friendship on future relations. Further studies should look into the impact of such friendships on adulthood. In conclusion, these two papers show the importance of attachment towards friendship. Attachment plays a big role in forming relationships, building self-esteem and gaining acceptance. Adolescent friendships help in transformation of the individual. It is through these friendships that adolescents become more confident, learn to accept and be accepted, and have meaningful relationships that support mutual sharing of private experiences. This in turn helps them to grow and learn to relate to one another, nurture values like empathy and learn skills of communication and proper interaction for later stages of life. At this stage, it is very crucial to form meaningful friendships as this stage is seen as a transition to adulthood which means, if the friendship an adolescent has is secure and safe, then the chances of having a better future with meaningful personal relationships increases. However, if at this stage, friendships do more harm than good, then, it can turn the individual into something the society may not approve of. Adolescent friendships are the linkages to better future in terms of relationships.

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References Bauminger, N., Finzi-Dottan, R., Chason, S., & Har-Even, D. (2008). Intimacy in adolescent friendship: The roles of attachment, coherence, and self-disclosure. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships (25), 409-429.

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Wilkinson, R. B. (2008). Development and properties of the adolescent friendship attachment scale. Journal of Youth and Adolescence (37), 1270-1279.