ERIC Number: EJ888415
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Oct
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0272-930X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Monthly Changes in the Composition of Friendship Networks in Early Adolescence
Chan, Alessandra; Poulin, Francois
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Journal of Developmental Psychology, v53 n4 p578-602 Oct 2007
Short-term stability in adolescents' self-reported friendship networks was examined as a function of (1) participants' gender, (2) friendship status (best vs. secondary), (3) friendship gender composition (same sex vs. opposite sex), and (4) friendship contexts (school only vs. nonschool only vs. multiple). Adolescents (N = 102) took part in five monthly telephone interviews in which they nominated their friends and provided specific information for each of them. Results indicated that on average, one-third of participants' nominated friendships in their network were unstable over five months, with girls' perceived networks being more unstable than boys. Best friendship choices were more stable than secondary ones. Girls' reports of their opposite-sex friendships were more unstable than boys', and multicontext friendships (school and nonschool) were more stable than single-context friendships (school only or nonschool only). Results are discussed by highlighting the contribution of short-term assessments in understanding how adolescent networks change over time. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Early Adolescents, Friendship, Adolescents, Gender Differences, Interviews, Social Networks, Statistical Analysis, Coding, Longitudinal Studies, Foreign Countries
Wayne State University Press. The Leonard N. Simons Building, 4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309. Tel: 800-978-7323; Fax: 313-577-6131; Web site: http://wsupress.wayne.edu/journals/merrill/merrillj.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada (Montreal)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A