Poster #86 - Effects of Friendship Network Centrality and Diversity on Children’s Social Competence: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Poster Session 03

Abstract

The benefits of friendships on children’s emotional and social development have been well established in the literature. However, there are fewer studies highlighting the benefit of ethnically diverse friendships. Cross-ethnic friendships provide diverse resources and perspectives, which can help expand the self and social competence. Teachers have reported that classroom ethnic composition is positively related to school children’s social competence (Rucinski et al., 2021). Consistent with the intergroup contact theory (Pettigrew, 1998), ethnically diverse friendships promote positive attitudes toward different ethnic groups and feelings of social safety (Graham et al., 2014). The present study examines the longitudinal effects of ethnically diverse friendships and adopts a social network perspective. Previous research suggests that network position (central or peripheral) is linked to emotional intelligence and well-being (Zhang et al., 2020), but the previous research did not examine the role of ethnic diversity in the network. We hypothesized that children’s friendship network characteristics (centrality and diversity) would be associated with their social competence including self-perception, loneliness, peer optimism, and emotion regulation. The data were collected as part of a larger longitudinal study. Ninety-nine children (50 boys and 49 girls) from an urban elementary school participated in this study. Among the children, 65.95% identified themselves as European Americans, 20.54% African Americans, 5.40% Asian Americans, 4.32% Latinx Americans, and 3.78% other ethnicities. Data were collected at two time points, one school year apart. Children were in the 3rd grade (57.6%) and 4th grade (42.4%) at Time 1. At both times, children reported their loneliness, peer optimism, self-perception, and friends in their classrooms. Peer-reports were used to assess children’s interpersonal emotional regulation. For example, classmates nominated children “who help others when others feel sad.” Social network analysis was conducted using UCINET software to calculate the network degree centrality and diversity scores. Multiple ANCOVAs were conducted to examine the longitudinal associations among the variables. We found that the diversity of friendship networks at Time 1 was positively associated with peer optimism and negatively associated with loneliness at Time 2 after controlling for previous levels of these variables (see the example Table). In addition, children who were in central network positions at Time 1 were viewed by classmates as being more competent to help others regulate sadness at Time 2. Interestingly, the interaction effects between degree centrality and sex on social competence were significant. Boys who were in more central positions at Time 1 reported lower loneliness, higher optimism, and more positive self-perceptions at Time 2 (see the example Figure). However, these associations were not significant among girls. Our findings support the long-term benefits of friendship network diversity for children. Interacting with different ethnic groups provides children with opportunities to learn different perspectives, construct their identities, and develop empathy toward others. Interestingly, being central in networks, which implies power, is more beneficial for boys than girls. Girls may be more satisfied with a few intimate friendships in small networks. In future research, friendship quality can be included.

Authors

• Hui Zhang, University of Indianapolis
  Presenting Author

• Samantha Gibbard

• Zachary Schornick

• Charles Matthew Stapleton, University of Indianapolis

• Robert Cohen, University of Memphis