Influences of Friends and Friendships on Adjustment to Junior High School

To explore influences of friends and friendships on adjustment to junior high school, 101 students were interviewed about their friendships in the spring of sixth grade and again in the fall and spring of seventh grade. Adjustment was judged from self-reports, peer nominations, teacher ratings, and school records. Sociability and leadership increased across the transition if students had high-quality friendships in 6th grade that were mostly stable across the transition. Behavior problems increased if students had stable friendships with sixth-grade friends high in behavioral problems. Sensitivity-isolation of students with sensitive-isolated friends increased across the transition unless they had high-quality, stable friendships. Separate and interactive effects of friendships and friends\u27 characteristics were discussed