You are my best friend: Commitment and stability in adolescents' same-sex friendships

Susan J.T. Branje; Tom Frijns; Catrin Finkenauer; Rutger Engels; Wim Meeus

doi:10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00173.x

You are my best friend: Commitment and stability in adolescents' same-sex friendships

Susan J.T. Branje^*
, Tom Frijns
, Catrin Finkenauer
, Rutger Engels
, Wim Meeus

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research Centre Adolescent Development
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Department of Social Psychology
Radboud University Nijmegen
Arbeidsen Organisatiepsychologie Behavioural Science Institute
extern

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

A 2-wave longitudinal study among 678 early and 317 middle adolescents investigated the applicability of Rusbult's investment model to adolescent best friendships and tested its usefulness in predicting friendship stability. Results showed that satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investments predict commitment in friendships, both concurrently and over time. Furthermore, investment model variables predicted friendship stability and, among stable friendships, predicted the tendency to switch best friends. Commitment mediated the effects of satisfaction, investment, and alternatives on tendency to switch. As expected, gender and age differences were found in that alternatives were more important for older adolescents and associations among model variables were stronger for girls. Overall, the investment model proved useful in predicting commitment and stability in adolescents' best friendships.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	587-603
Number of pages	17
Journal	Personal Relationships
Volume	14
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2007.00173.x
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2007
Externally published	Yes

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abstract = "A 2-wave longitudinal study among 678 early and 317 middle adolescents investigated the applicability of Rusbult's investment model to adolescent best friendships and tested its usefulness in predicting friendship stability. Results showed that satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investments predict commitment in friendships, both concurrently and over time. Furthermore, investment model variables predicted friendship stability and, among stable friendships, predicted the tendency to switch best friends. Commitment mediated the effects of satisfaction, investment, and alternatives on tendency to switch. As expected, gender and age differences were found in that alternatives were more important for older adolescents and associations among model variables were stronger for girls. Overall, the investment model proved useful in predicting commitment and stability in adolescents' best friendships.",

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AU - Frijns, Tom

AU - Finkenauer, Catrin

AU - Engels, Rutger

AU - Meeus, Wim

PY - 2007/12/1

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You are my best friend: Commitment and stability in adolescents' same-sex friendships

Abstract

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