Fragile Friendships 3 Fragile Friendships: Exploring the Use and Effects of Indirect Aggression Among Adolescent Girls

This study investigated the roles of relational and social aggression in the friendships of adolescent females. Using qualitative methodology, twenty-eight 8th grade female students from a predominantly white, rural, junior high school were invited to discuss how they respond to and cope with conflict in their friendships, identify and describe social and relational aggression, interpret expectations from significant adults regarding conflict management, and use relational and social aggression with peers of equal or greater social status. Themes are presented and discussed as well as implications for school counseling interventions