Peer Relations in Preadolescence: Associations between Friendship Quality, Peer Acceptance, and Parental Management in Peer Relations

Abstract

Objective: The associations between friendship quality, peer acceptance, and parental management in preadolescence were investigated, in order to provide discernment about the situation of preadolescents, which would be beneficial in assisting those children who were in need of intervention. Method: 322 fifth and sixth graders from a local school were recruited for the study. They completed a questionnaire comprised of the Friendship Qualities Scale in measuring quality of friendship, items in measuring parental management, and the sociometric nomination procedure in assessing peer acceptance. Results: Popular children had higher friendship quality than rejected children, but no difference was found between them in parental management. Positive correlation was detected between friendship quality and parental management. Within parental management, mothers were found to be more knowledgeable and involved in their children than fathers were. Discussion: Possible explanations and implications of the findings were discussed, and future work was suggested.