Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2000. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-83). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ59140.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains v, 86 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-58).

The current study was designed to examine sex differences in the stability of same-sex friendships. Based on past research, it was hypothesized that boys have more stable friendship nominations than girls. Four hundred fifty-one elementary and high school students from grades three, four, seven and eight completed questionnaires in which they were asked to nominate their closest friends. Friendship nominations were collected three times over a seventh month period, in the fall, winter and spring of the school year. Partial support was obtained for the hypothesis at the high school level: Adolescent boys had more stable friendship nominations than adolescent girls. No sex differences in stability were evident at the elementary level. At all grade levels, fewer friendship nominations were made at the beginning of the year and friendship stability was lowest over the longer time interval from fall to spring. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of the stability of friendships for peer social support.

In this study of 120 early adolescents (59 girls, 61 boys), 81 of whom were identified as gifted, overall psychosocial maturity (or social-perspective coordination) was measured and related to academic ability and adolescents' perceptions of friendship quality and self-concept. Gifted status, sex, and grade significantly* predicted overall psychosocial maturity in multiple regression analyses. Conversely, as a group, overall social-perspective coordination, perceptions of one's ability to make and keep friends (close friendship self-concept), academic ability, sex, and grade level predicted the overall quality of adolescents' friendships. Being a female, seventh grader, or adolescent not identified as gifted, significantly predicted friendship quality. In addition, higher developmental levels of psychosocial maturity and close friendship self-concept predicted higher levels of friendship quality. Finally, when a measure of interpersonal negotiation strategies in hypothetical situations was entered into the prediction model in place of overall psychosocial competence, it appeared to be a better predictor of friendship quality. Specifically, higher levels of psychosocial competence were associated with higher levels of help, closeness, and lower levels of social comparison in friendship experiences. Likewise, the ability to think of higher levels of negotiation strategies was associated with higher levels of closeness and help, and with lower levels of social comparison and conflict in friendship experiences. / *Throughout the text, the term significance refers to statistical significance, rather than a meaning of importance.

The purpose of this study was to examine to perceptions of early adolescent girls with regards to friendships, peer relations and stress. Ten early adolescent girls (aged 12-13 years) were interviewed using a semi-structured qualitative format. Findings report that subjects felt a sense of belonging in friendships, as well as experiencing exclusion from friends. In summary, the participants reported that they do experience stress and that it is friends, boys and parents that act as the main stressors in their life. A number of strengths were reported, including friendship as protective factor, empathy and optimism. The Positive Youth Development Framework is identified and implications for future research and social work practice are discussed.

This study examined the friendships between gifted and regular adolescents to determine if competition was related to the quality and stability of their friendship. Sullivan (1953) had predicted that competition harmed friendship, but this has not been tested empirically. Thirty-eight gifted and 38 regular friendship dyads from grades seven and eight were recruited from two high schools in Quebec and one in Ontario. Competition was defined in terms of competitive goal orientation. Students who competed in order to improve their performance on a task were rated as more task-oriented. Those who competed in order to show superiority over others were rated as more other-referenced. Competitive goal orientation differed for gifted and regular students. Classroom teachers, physical education teachers, and peers rated gifted students as being more task-oriented and regular students as being more other-referenced in their competitive styles across both scholastic and athletic domains. Being more task-oriented was related to having less negative friendship quality (i.e., fewer conflicts), more friendly competition, and for gifted students only, more friendship stability. Conversely, being more other-referenced was related to more negative friendship qualities and, for gifted students only, unstable friendships. Additionally, friends who reported positive friendship qualities at the end of the school year remained friends over the summer more so than friends who reported negative friendship qualities. However, during the school year, when friends saw each other regularly, the quality of their friendship was not related to whether or not they remained friends. Surprisingly, the friendships of regular adolescents had more positive qualities (companionship, help, security, closeness) than the friendships of gifted adolescents. No difference in friendship stability was found between the groups. Practical implications for teachers include avoiding forms

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on November 26, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Psychology, June 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 86 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-54).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 73 p.; also includes graphics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 69-73). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center