Developmental changes in best friendship quality during emerging adulthood.
Stéphanie Langheit1, François Poulin1
1Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
|November 8, 2022
Summary
Friendship quality changes throughout your 20s, with intimacy declining and companionship/reliable alliance increasing. Gender and romantic life investment significantly impact these evolving best friend dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Best friendships are crucial during emerging adulthood.
- Understanding friendship quality changes is vital for developmental insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine changes in best friendship quality (intimacy, companionship, reliable alliance, conflict) from age 19 to 30.
- To investigate the influence of gender and romantic life investment on these friendship dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 363 participants (58% women) assessed at ages 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, and 30.
- Latent growth curve modeling analyzed changes in friendship features and romantic investment.
Main Results:
- Reliable alliance and companionship showed slight increases, while intimacy slightly decreased in the early 20s, followed by steeper declines (quadratic trajectories). Conflict decreased linearly.
- Women reported higher initial intimacy and companionship, with a notable intimacy decline throughout their 20s, unlike men whose intimacy remained stable.
- Early investment in romantic life correlated with subsequent changes in best friend intimacy.
Conclusions:
- Best friendship quality features evolve distinctively during emerging adulthood.
- Gender and romantic relationship investment significantly moderate changes in best friendship quality over time.
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