Journal Article

Psychosocial Benefits of Cross-Ethnic Friendships in Urban Middle Schools

Juvonen, Jaana, Graham, Sandra, Munniksma, Anke

2014

Overview

To examine the unique functions of same- and cross-ethnic friendships, Latino (n = 536) and African American (n = 396) sixth-grade students (M age = 11.5 years) were recruited from 66 classrooms in 10 middle schools that varied in ethnic diversity. Participants reported on the number of same- and cross-ethnic friends, perceived vulnerability, friendship quality, and the private regard dimension of ethnic identity. Whereas same-ethnic friendships were uniquely associated with stronger private regard, more ethnic diversity and cross-ethnic friendships were uniquely associated with less perceived vulnerability. Multilevel structural equation modeling tested whether cross-ethnic friendships mediated the diversity-vulnerability relation. Although cross-ethnic friendships did not significantly mediate this relation at the classroom level, these friendships predicted less vulnerability at the individual student level.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Wiley for the Society for Research in Child Development,Wiley-Blackwell,Oxford University Press
• Subject: Adolescent / Adolescents / African American Students / African Americans / African Americans - ethnology / African Americans - psychology / Attitude / Biological and medical sciences / Child / Child development / Classroom Environment / Classrooms / Crime Victims - psychology / Cultural identity / Developmental psychology / Elementary school students / EMPIRICAL ARTICLES / Ethnic diversity / Ethnic groups / Ethnic identity / Ethnicity / Female / Friends - ethnology / Friends - psychology / Friendship / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Hispanic American Students / Hispanic Americans - ethnology / Hispanic Americans - psychology / Hispanics / Humans / Intergroup Relations / Interpersonal Relations / Loneliness - psychology / Los Angeles - ethnology / Male / Middle School Students / Middle schools / Minority & ethnic groups / Multiculturalism & pluralism / Peer Group / Peer Relationship / Private schools / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychology. Psychophysiology / Psychosocial factors / Racial Relations / School Health Services / Social Identification / Structural equation modeling / Structural Equation Models / Student Attitudes / Student diversity / Students / U.S.A / Urban Population / Urban Schools / Victimization / Vulnerability