Friendship network characteristics and psychological well-being in late adolescence: Exploring differences by gender and gender composition
Almquist, Ylva B ; Östberg, Viveca ; Rostila, Mikael ; Edling, Christofer LU
and Rydgren, Jens
(2014)
In Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
42(2).
p.146-154
- Abstract
- Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between friendship networks and psychological well-being among 19-year-olds. Methods: The data used was a random sample of Swedish individuals born in 1990 who answered a questionnaire in 2009–2010. Friendship networks were considered in terms of three measures of emotional support. Six statements about the individual’s emotional state were used to create a summary measure of psychological well-being. Gender and gender composition were included as potentially moderating factors. The association between friendship networks and psychological well-being was analysed by means of linear regression analysis (n = 1289). Results: The results indicate that males’ and females’... (More)
- Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between friendship networks and psychological well-being among 19-year-olds. Methods: The data used was a random sample of Swedish individuals born in 1990 who answered a questionnaire in 2009–2010. Friendship networks were considered in terms of three measures of emotional support. Six statements about the individual’s emotional state were used to create a summary measure of psychological well-being. Gender and gender composition were included as potentially moderating factors. The association between friendship networks and psychological well-being was analysed by means of linear regression analysis (n = 1289). Results: The results indicate that males’ and females’ friendship networks were similar with regard to quality and trust, whereas males’ networks were characterized by less self-disclosure and a stronger preference for same-gender friendships. Gender composition did not matter for the support levels. Emotional support was associated with psychological well-being but there were gender differences: females seemed to benefit more health-wise from having high-quality (and trusting) networks. Moreover, whereas self-disclosure among males was positively linked to well-being, this was not the case among females. None of these associations were moderated by gender composition. Conclusions: In sum, friendship networks are beneficial for the psychological well-being among late adolescents, but there are some important differences according to gender. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4173031
- author
- Almquist, Ylva B
; Östberg, Viveca
; Rostila, Mikael
; Edling, Christofer
LU
and Rydgren, Jens
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Emotional support, friendship, gender differences, late adolescence, psychological well-being, social networks
- in
- Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
- volume
- 42
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 146 - 154
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000331371600005
- scopus:84894493998
- pmid:24247790
- ISSN
- 1651-1905
- DOI
- 10.1177/1403494813510793
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b678cf3d-1bca-4182-a055-d88f1a35c687 (old id 4173031)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:03:05
- date last changed
- 2022-04-04 23:43:12
@article{b678cf3d-1bca-4182-a055-d88f1a35c687,
abstract = {{Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine the association between friendship networks and psychological well-being among 19-year-olds. Methods: The data used was a random sample of Swedish individuals born in 1990 who answered a questionnaire in 2009–2010. Friendship networks were considered in terms of three measures of emotional support. Six statements about the individual’s emotional state were used to create a summary measure of psychological well-being. Gender and gender composition were included as potentially moderating factors. The association between friendship networks and psychological well-being was analysed by means of linear regression analysis (n = 1289). Results: The results indicate that males’ and females’ friendship networks were similar with regard to quality and trust, whereas males’ networks were characterized by less self-disclosure and a stronger preference for same-gender friendships. Gender composition did not matter for the support levels. Emotional support was associated with psychological well-being but there were gender differences: females seemed to benefit more health-wise from having high-quality (and trusting) networks. Moreover, whereas self-disclosure among males was positively linked to well-being, this was not the case among females. None of these associations were moderated by gender composition. Conclusions: In sum, friendship networks are beneficial for the psychological well-being among late adolescents, but there are some important differences according to gender.}},
author = {{Almquist, Ylva B and Östberg, Viveca and Rostila, Mikael and Edling, Christofer and Rydgren, Jens}},
issn = {{1651-1905}},
keywords = {{Emotional support; friendship; gender differences; late adolescence; psychological well-being; social networks}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{146--154}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Scandinavian Journal of Public Health}},
title = {{Friendship network characteristics and psychological well-being in late adolescence: Exploring differences by gender and gender composition}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1403494813510793}},
doi = {{10.1177/1403494813510793}},
volume = {{42}},
year = {{2014}},
}