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

Abstract

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.