FRIENDSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP QUALITY IN MIDDLE CHILDHOOD - LINKS WITH PEER GROUP ACCEPTANCE AND FEELINGS OF LONELINESS AND SOCIAL DISSATISFACTION

The distinction between friendship adjustment and acceptance by the pe er group was examined. Third- through 5th-grade children (N = 88 1 ) c ompleted sociometric measures of acceptance and friendship, a measure of loneliness, a questionnaire on the features of their very best frie ndships, and a measure of their friendship satisfaction. Results indic ated that many low-accepted children had best friends and were satisfi ed with these friendships. However, these children's friendships were lower than those of other children on most dimensions of quality. Havi ng a friend, friendship quality, and group acceptance made separate co ntributions to the prediction of loneliness. Results indicate the util ity of the new friendship quality measure and the value of distinguish ing children's friendship adjustment from their general peer acceptanc e.