Individual and Contextual Predictors of Perceived Friendship Quality among Ethnic Minority, Low-Income Adolescents

This longitudinal study examined the separate, relative, and combined contributions of demographic (i.e., gender and ethnicity), individual-level (i.e., psychological well-being), and contextual (i.e., relationships with parents and perceived school climate) factors on changes over time in perceived quality of general and closest same-sex friendships among 114 Asian American, Black, and Latino adolescents from low-income families. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the increase in reported levels of general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 (a 1-year period) was greater for those who reported more positive perceptions of school climate at Time 1. The increase in general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 was also greater for those who reported lower support scores from mothers at Time 1. Findings suggest a compensatory model of relationships and draw attention to the importance of exploring the ecological context of adolescent friendships.