Date of Graduation

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

JoNell Strough

Abstract

The present study considers how communication efficacy, activity preference, peer censure, femininity, masculinity, and gender identity relate to adolescents’ proportion of samesex friends. Participants were 149 adolescents aged between 15 and 17 years (63 males, 86 females, mean age 16.01). Participants completed a written questionnaire that asked questions about their friendships and about communication efficacy, activity preference, peer censure, femininity and masculinity, and gender identity. When both male and female data were analyzed together, results suggested that communication preference, a subscale of communication efficacy, and gender identity contributed to proportion of same-sex friends in adolescence. When female’s data were analyzed, results suggested that gender identity was associated with having a greater proportion of same-sex friends in adolescence. When male’s data were analyzed, gender identity and communication preference, a subscale of communication efficacy, contributed to proportion of same-sex friends in adolescence. The consequences of having same and other-sex friendships are considered, and the lasting impact that same-sex friends in adolescence may have across the lifespan is discussed.

Download

Share

COinS