Differential Susceptibility to Friendship Quality

Authors

• Rebekah B. Clapham, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignFollow
• Yuji Kim, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Megan M. Davis, University of Kentucky
• Haina H. Modi, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Haley V. Skymba, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Karen D. Rudolph, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abstract

Friendships assume a salient role in well-being during mid-adolescence. This research examined (a) how friendship quality (stressful vs. supportive) is differentially associated with mid-adolescents’ social adjustment (engagement in antisocial vs. prosocial behavior); (b) the extent to which these associations are contingent on individual differences in the tendency to base one's self-worth on peer approval; and (c) whether these associations differ in boys and girls. Adolescents (N = 324; 179 girls; M_age = 14.87; SD = 1.22) completed questionnaires during a school-based assessment. For boys, friendship stress was associated with more antisocial behavior among adolescents with high levels of avoidance-oriented need for approval (NFA), whereas friendship support was associated with more prosocial behavior among adolescents with low levels of avoidance-oriented NFA. For girls, friendship quality and NFA made independent contributions to social behavior. This research provides a more nuanced understanding of the role of friendship quality in social competence.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-1-2025

Notes/Citation Information

Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Social Development published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1111/sode.12807

Archival?

Archival

Repository Citation

Clapham, Rebekah B.; Kim, Yuji; Davis, Megan M.; Modi, Haina H.; Skymba, Haley V.; and Rudolph, Karen D., "Differential Susceptibility to Friendship Quality" (2025). Psychology Faculty Publications. 299.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_facpub/299