ANTISOCIAL BOYS AND THEIR FRIENDS IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE - RELATIONSHIPCHARACTERISTICS, QUALITY, AND INTERACTIONAL PROCESS

This study examines the close friendships of early adolescent boys in relation to antisocial behavior. 186 13-14-year-old boys and their clo se friends were interviewed, assessed at school, and videotaped in a p roblem-solving task. Similarity was observed between the demographic c haracteristics and antisocial behavior of the boys and their close fri ends. There was a tendency for the close friends of antisocial boys to live within the same neighborhood block and to have met in unstructur ed, unsupervised activities. Direct observations of interactions with close friends revealed a reliable correlation between antisocial behav ior, directives, and negative reciprocity. Positive interactions withi n the friendship were uncorrelated with antisocial behavior and relati onship quality. Implications of these findings for clinical and develo pmental theory are discussed.