Peer acceptance and friendship quality during middle childhood : family influences and links to well-being

This study examines (a) the influence that social network characteristics have on peer relations, (b) the contribution of peer relations to well-being within the context of the child\u27s network of relations, and (c) the extent to which the findings are culture specific or generalize across ethnic groups. The sample included 185 fifth-grade children (90 boys; 95 girls) from three ethnic groups (African-, Angloand Hispanic-American). During an initial group-administered session, peer ratings of acceptance, friendship nominations, and a loneliness scale were administered. Children were subsequently interviewed individually. The interview consisted of measures of the child\u27s social support network, friendship quality, self-esteem, and depression. The results indicate that (a) there are some associations between network characteristics and peer relations, (b) peer relations contribute to the child\u27s well-being after considering the contribution of family relations, and (c) there are some variations by ethnicity