Friendship Development Research Articles

Extracurricular Tandem as a Powerful Tool for Enhancing Intercultural Communicative Competence

Regular interaction with the representatives of the target language is a key driver in enhancing linguistic and intercultural competence. This study explores the frequency of communication between Kazakhstani students and native speakers, additionally examining their emotions during foreign language interaction. Furthermore, it seeks to identify the efficacy of extracurricular tandem in fostering intercultural communicative competence and the challenges faced by students when studying languages in extracurricular tandem. Following the quantitative method of scientific research, the authors conducted an anonymous survey of 587 foreign language students. To create an opportunity for intercultural communication, the research group developed the website and initiated an extracurricular language tandem pilot project between foreign and local students. The survey findings revealed that only a small portion (11%) of students regularly communicate with native speakers, while the majority of respondents (73%) experience both language difficulties and anxiety during interactions. The extracurricular tandem project provided positive outcomes, with students reporting enhancement in both their linguistic skills and understanding of the target culture. The project contributed the development of friendships and boosted confidence in using the target language. Nevertheless, students encountered some difficulties related to organizational aspects. This study can guide educators and educational institutions in creating conditions that promote intercultural exchange among students and enhance their intercultural communicative skills.

Linguistic relations between the Turko-Tatar and Chinese peoples

The ties between the Turkic-Tatar and Chinese peoples have a centuries-old history, beginning with ancient times when the Great Silk Road connected the West and the East, creating conditions for the exchange of goods, ideas and cultural values, and these relationships continue to this day.The connections between the Turks and the Chinese are characterized both by unity and various contradictions. The historical, cultural, social and linguistic aspects of the interaction between these two ethnic groups constitute a multifaceted object of research. This research allows us to understand how these peoples have exchanged cultural values, traded and interacted over the centuries. Modern linguistic communications are studied in the context of globalization and migration processes. The role of information technology and social networks in the preservation and development of language contacts is becoming increasingly important today.In the socio-economic aspect, the work studies the influence of language contacts on trade and economic relations. The knowledge of language and cultural characteristics can both contribute to and hinder the development of business relations and cooperation between the Turkic-Tatar and Chinese peoples.Thus, the proposed article reflects part of the history of mutual enrichment and cultural exchange of linguistic communication between the Turkic-Tatar and Chinese peoples. A deep understanding of these processes and their study show that they are important not only for preserving our historical and cultural heritage, but also for the further development of cooperation and friendship between the peoples.

PEERS® for School-Based Professionals via Zoom as a Pre-Employment Transition Service

Previous research has shown that conversational language predicts vocational independence and friendship development. This study investigated the efficacy of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) for School-Based Professionals delivered via Zoom as a pre-employment transition service on the social competence of teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program was administered weekly by vocational rehabilitation counselors via telehealth. A Quasi-experimental pilot design using pre/post-test analysis was used because all students in the vocational rehabilitation case management telehealth group indicated a desire to participate in the PEERS® training, leaving none available to form a comparison group. Results indicate a decrease in the severity of ASD symptomatology regarding social communication and an increase in conversational skills associated with vocational independence. They were invited to and hosted more get-togethers with peers who shared their interests, a measure of future collegiality. Implications for individuals on the autism spectrum and employment transition service providers are discussed.

A pilot study of Chinese parents’ perceptions of friendships in autistic children

Objectives Previous research has reported that parental perceptions and expectations regarding friendship for their autistic children varies across different cultural contexts, but investigations of parents’ attitudes towards their autistic children’s friendships in eastern cultures are scarce. Settled in the unique collectivistic culture in China, the purpose of this study was to explore Chinese parents’ perceptions and expectations of friendships for their autistic children. Methods A qualitative research method was adopted in this pilot study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 parents regarding their perceptions, expectations, and perceived barriers to friendship development in their autistic children (n = 11, age mean = 9.18). Thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data. Results The results revealed that Chinese parents generally perceived a low level of their children’s friendship status and that they hold low expectations for their children’s friendship development. Additionally, cognitive and environmental barriers were identified as the major obstacles to friendship development for children with autism. Conclusions This pilot study investigated how Chinese parents of autistic children perceive their children’s friendship and identified social and cultural barriers to the development of their autistic children. It highlighted the need for cultural investigations in future research to promote efficient friendship development in autistic children.

Navigating Uncharted Territory: A Qualitative Analysis of Challenges and Advantages Experienced by Early Career Medical Educators

AbstractWith the growing demand for medical educators, it is increasingly important that institutions implement practices to recruit, retain, and promote the well-being of early career medical educators (ECMEs). However, the specific needs of this group remain somewhat unclear. The current study aimed to address this gap by utilizing qualitative analysis to identify challenges and advantages associated with ECME status. An anonymous, voluntary survey was administered on forums of professional societies for medical education and on social media platforms, and emailed to professional societies. The survey collected demographic information and qualitative data regarding ECMEs’ experiences. Data were collected from 39 participants who met the ECME criteria of having less than or equal to 10 years of teaching experience since obtaining a terminal degree. Thematic analysis revealed that the challenges of early career faculty were difficulty balancing responsibilities, lack of research and educational support, perceived inadequacies as a faculty member, and development of workplace friendships. The advantages were the ability to understand students, possessing specific knowledge and skills, and the ability to innovate. ECME professional development needs focused on development of skills, networking, and support. In conclusion, ECMEs encounter similar struggles faced by all medical educators; however, they have the least amount of experience navigating the hurdles of academia. To aid ECMEs, institutions and departments can focus on the implementation of meaningful professional development opportunities, support systems, and encouraging ECMEs’ strengths.

Improving Social Communication in Autistic Adolescents Through a Clinic-Home-School Collaboration.

Differences in social communication are common in highly verbal autistic adolescents and can interfere with development of friendships as well as lead to other co-occurring challenges. The purpose of this initial study was to assess whether targeted areas of social communication would improve following the implementation of a manualized social communication package with parent participation and school coordination. Autistic adolescents who demonstrated challenges with social communication participated in this study in the context of a rigorous concurrent multiple baseline experimental design. Weekly intervention targeting social communication was implemented over a period of six to seven weeks (depending on preintervention scores). Additionally, parents and participants completed standardized assessments of anxiety and depression and a post-intervention questionnaire was administered to assess their satisfaction with the intervention. This study demonstrated that social communication could be improved with a short-term intervention program with parent and school participation. All participants showed improvements in social communication, which was maintained at follow-up. Also, all participants and their parents reported high satisfaction with the program. These findings corroborate a growing literature base suggesting that support in the area of social communication is needed and can benefit autistic adolescents.

Friendship and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Correlation Between Friendships of Students with ASD High Function (AHF) and Educational Practices in the Context of Inclusion in Primary Education

Friendship contributes to mental well-being, is a protective factor in victimization and a challenge for children and adolescents with High Functioning Autism (HFA). The quantity and quality of their friendships depends on the quality of interventions in their environment. This study aims to investigate the quantity and quality of friendships between children with (AHF) and their peers in primary school, and the relationship between friendships and inclusive educational practices. The research sample consisted of 143 teachers of students with AHF in primary school. The qualitative approach used the Autism Inclusion Questionnaire (AIQ), while the quantitative approach used the Questionnaire on friendships between children with AHF and peers. Inferential statistics, i.e., the use of the x2 correlation test and Pearson's coefficient, was used to investigate the association and type of association between friendship practices with AHF and educational, behavioral practices. Results showed that 35% of teachers believed that children with ASD tended to have no friends and were surrounded by loneliness. Only one third of them had a good friend. However, these friendships could not be considered meaningful as they were not characterized by reciprocity and common interests. 19 out of 37 educational inclusion practices were linked to the development and improvement of friendships. They can be useful for educators, practitioners and families at this age stage.

The nature of ‘the best constitutional regime’ and virtuous friendship in Aristotle

Aristotle discusses the ‘best constitutional regime’ in Books 7 and 8 of his work, Politics. The central concepts in this discussion are happiness and virtue. The combination of happiness and virtue finds its expression in virtuous friendship. The best constitutional regime assists individuals and society in reaching their highest potential, both individually and collectively. It provides the necessary institutional structure for the justice and welfare of society, which in turn fosters the development of virtuous friendships. According to Aristotle, the highest and most genuine relationship among people is ‘virtuous friendship’. Such friendships enable individuals to understand and support each other based on ethical values and to seek happiness together. This study argues that there is an identity between the nature of the best constitutional regime and virtuous friendship. This claim is based on the idea that the best constitutional regime is the perfect end (telos). In this sense, the perfect end is virtuous friendship.

“Just shut out the world”: Bullied adolescents’ structured recreational and sports activities and their relationship to wellbeing and friendship

Although bullied adolescents’ leisure activities and friendships may impact their wellbeing, the leisure environments of bullied adolescents has received limited attention in previous research. The aim of this study was to explore bullied adolescents’ perspectives on their out-of-school time, with a special focus on structured recreational and sports activities and how these relate to friendships and wellbeing. Based on interviews with 20 Swedish adolescents who experienced bullying in lower secondary school, we used a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide the research, further informed by concepts from the social-ecological perspective and identity theory. The findings indicate that structured recreational and sports activities can serve as a temporary refuge from school bullying, providing a safe environment that promotes self-recovery and friendship development. However, if bullies are present in these activities, it can undermine the positive effects and may lead victims to quit.

The War Against Ukraine and the EU: Facing New Realities, edited by Claudia Wiesner and Michèle Knodt. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. XIII, 230 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-35040-5.

This book discusses the multiple implications of the war against Ukraine for the EU political system. It draws on a number of different authors to analyse the main dimensions of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the subsequent large-scale war, which impact the global order and EU foreign policy. In the context of war and Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU needs to position itself in a changing world order, internal and external challenges to liberal democracy and the development of its strategic autonomy. In various chapters of the book, the development and strengthening of strategic partnership and friendship with Ukraine is considered by the EU as one of the central foreign policy priorities. Without the support of the Ukrainian partner, it is difficult for the EU to achieve positive results in European politics and play the role of an influential power in the international arena. In this context, various authors note that only the formation of political and economic ties between the EU and Ukraine will be the optimal way out of the full-scale war and crisis that Ukraine has found itself in. Only the combination of opportunities and efforts will allow the Ukrainian political elite and society to eventually stand on par with leading European countries.

The development of blended friendship in high leader-member exchange relationships: Mechanisms and consequences of a relational shift.

Confusion persists about the overlap between high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships and personal friendships between a leader and a subordinate. How these notions differ, shift from one to the other, and what their consequences are remain unclear. This paper proposes a framework that examines the fundamental differences between high LMX relationships and friendships. We argue that when high LMX relationships shift toward friendships, they in fact shift toward blended friendships, where the leader and the subordinate concomitantly enact two distinct roles, worker and friend. These blended friendships are qualitatively different from high LMX and from friendships. We detail the process by which blended friendship develops in the context of high LMX relationships and identify the key variables and mechanisms that drive the emergence of such blended friendships. We then examine how subordinates' well-being, job engagement, performance, and turnover may simultaneously benefit and suffer from their involvement in a blended friendship.

The role of built environments and use of communal spaces in helping facilitate social connections of older people living in housing with care schemes

PurposeThis paper examined the significance of the built environment for shaping inclusion and social connections in housing with care (HwC) schemes for older people (50+ years) in England and Wales. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of how the availability, absence and use of communal spaces impacts social connections with other residents within HwC schemes.Design/methodology/approachLongitudinal and cross-sectional qualitative interviews were conducted with 72 residents across three HwC providers in England and Wales. Data were analysed using a thematic framework approach to examine how residents experienced their living environments.FindingsWhilst the presence of communal shared spaces helps facilitate social connections and the development of friendships, full and equal access to these spaces remains challenging for residents with minority characteristics, and/or physical impairments. Building designers need to ensure they are complying with building regulations and the Equalities Act. The presence of on-site staff may also help to manage the impact of discriminatory attitudes.Research limitations/implicationsA key strength of this study is its design, both in using longitudinal and cross-sectional interviews and in recruiting respondents with marginalised characteristics, whose voices have often been excluded in gerontological research. Another strength, albeit unexpected, is that this study was able to capture perspectives across the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, however, may also have generated some limitations in this study. COVID-19 restrictions limited the ability to engage face-to-face within housing schemes whose residents were predominantly from different ethnic minoritised groups, and it therefore limits the inclusion of the voices and experiences of these groups. Responses in later interviews may also have been influenced by the changes in social engagement stimulated by lockdowns and may only be specific to the context of the pandemic. However, the findings reported here focus on the role and use of the built environment, and much of the interview content would feasibly apply regardless of the pandemic.Practical implicationsThis research offers some key insights and implications for housing providers and policy. Housing providers and architects must ensure that the design of HwC schemes affords all residents access to every area of the built environment to maintain independence, autonomy and to adopt the ethos of the ageing in place agenda. If communal areas are to function as “third” or social spaces – if they are to remain equally accessible to all members of the community – then building providers must ensure that all areas are accessible to all residents in line with building regulations and the Equality Act (2010).Social implicationsHousing staff need to balance the natural development of friendship groups with the potential of the formation of exclusionary “cliques” within HwC schemes. Such cliques threaten the accomplishment of communal areas as “third” or social spaces and, as such, impact the quality of life for residents.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into how built environments support the development of social connections and friendships in HwC schemes. It also identifies ways that housing managers can ensure that all residents feel equally valued and included.

"It Made Me Feel Like a Person Again": Benefits of Meals on Wheels-Based Social Connection Programs.

Social isolation and loneliness are associated with negative health outcomes, and these outcomes are exacerbated among older adults who are homebound. To address this issue, Meals on Wheels programs increasingly provide social connection services to clients in addition to home-delivered meals. This descriptive qualitative study examines the impact of three types of social connection programs on the well-being of homebound older adult clients, as well as on the volunteers and staff members who deliver the programs. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with 117 clients, volunteers, and staff in six Meals on Wheels social connection programs across the United States indicated that program participation was associated with substantial benefits. Benefits included the development of supportive friendships, reduced feelings of loneliness, and an improved overall sense of well-being. Insights from this study may inform the development, expansion, and sustainability of social connection programs provided by community-based organizations.

Research on the Reform of Training Applied Talents in Vietnamese Major in Border Universities -- Guangxi Minzu Normal University

Vietnamese language talents are the bridge and foundation for the sustained and healthy development of good-neighborly friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Vietnam. With the continuous deepening of China-ASEAN cooperation and the implementation of relevant strategies, today s society has put forward new and higher requirements for Vietnamese language talents. Currently, colleges and universities on the China-Vietnam border are facing problems such as lagging teaching material construction, lack of targeted talent output in cultivating Vietnamese language applied talents. Taking Guangxi Minzu Normal University as an example, combined with the current background and the characteristics of school, the article explores the methods and concepts for cultivating applied talents in the Vietnamese language major in border universities from the aspects of improve teaching mode, strengthening textbook constructio. To cultivate high-standard, high-level, all-round and compound talents who serve local economic and social development and ASEAN cooperation.

Ανήκουν οι μαθητές με δυσκολίες μάθησης στις ομάδες παιχνιδιού των συμμαθητών τους ή σχηματίζουν δικές τους ομάδες κατά την διάρκεια του διαλείμματος;

The participation of the children in the play groups during recess gives them the opportunity to release the energy that has accumulated during the learning process, to come together and interact with children of the same age. The development of friendships between children with learning difficulties and typically developing children has been of distinctive research interest. Pupils with learning difficulties attend lessons in the general education classes and at the same time they attend specific lessons in the resource room of their school. As this condition does not guarantee their inclusion in the playgroups, the question was raised whether pupils with learning difficulties are ultimately included in the playgroups of their classmates during recess. The study involved 40 students who had been diagnosed with learning difficulties and were attending lessons in the resource room of their school. Data was collected based on consecutive observations and it was found that more than half of the students with learning difficulties did not participate in their peers" play.

SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL SUPPORT FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN THE CONTEXT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

The article discusses the barriers to accessibility in Ukraine, as well as the universally acceptedhuman values on which an inclusive environment should be based. It emphasizes that educationalinstitutions must ensure that all children have access to an inclusive educational environment byproviding a range of necessary services tailored to the different educational needs of children.The research methods used in the article are theoretical, involving the analysis of scientific literatureon the implementation of accessibility and inclusive educational environments, as well as theirimpact on the quality of life of children with special educational needs.The aim of the article is to determine the role of parents in the socialization of a child with specialeducational needs in the context of an inclusive educational environment and the key principles ofpartnership between the social pedagogue and them.The article provides an algorithm for parents or legal representatives on how to arrange for a childwith special educational needs to be taught in an inclusive class or group.The article analyzes the features of the partnership between the social pedagogue and the parents ofchildren with special educational needs. It provides advice for parents or legal representatives on thesocialization of a child with special educational needs in the context of an inclusive educationalenvironment (finding ways to help a child with special educational needs realize their significance;strengthening the child's independence, encouragement, and self-confidence; developing skills formaking correct life decisions; supporting and encouraging the development of friendships;developing self-advocacy skills).

Navigating intercultural friendships in English as a lingua franca contexts: Taiwanese exchange students in Europe

ABSTRACT This study investigates Asian exchange students’ friendship development in European countries where English functions as a lingua franca. It offers an in-depth analysis of the experiences of three Taiwanese university students who exhibited varying degrees of success in friendship formation during their study exchanges there: one was successful, another was not, and the third experienced moderate success. Data were collected through pre-, during-, and post-sojourn interviews, supplemented by online correspondence between interviews. Analyzing the data using Coleman’s concentric circles model of study abroad social networks and Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and capital, this study delineates the differing trajectories of the students’ friendship development and identifies the factors contributing to these diverse outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of possessing personal dispositions that resonate with those of peers, and also effectively utilising linguistic and cultural resources, for fostering intercultural friendships. These insights have implications for educational institutions involved in sending and hosting exchange students.

Stability in social networks.

Dunbar's number is the cognitive limit of human beings to maintain stable relationships with other individuals in their social networks, and it is found to be 150. It is based on the neocortex size of humans. Usually, Dunbar's number and related phenomena are studied from the perspective of an individual. Dunbar's number also plays a crucial role in evolutionary psychology and allied areas. However, no study done so far has considered a couple who are in a stable relationship as a system from the perspective of Dunbar's number and its hierarchy layers. In this paper, we study the impact of Dunbar's number and Dunbar's hierarchy from the perspective of a couple by studying mathematically the conjoint Dunbar graphs for a couple. The cost of romance is the loss of almost two people from one's support network when a human being enters into a new relationship. Thus, we obtain mathematically that there is no significant change in one's friendship if human beings spend negligible time with their partners. Also, along with marriage and friendship development, we attempt to assess how a person's social network structure holds up over the course of a romantic relationship. The stability of personal social networks is discussed through soft set theory and balance theoretic approach.

Stories of building friendships during long-term recovery from problematic substance use

Background Building friendship is crucial for attaining and upholding recovery from problematic substance use. However, how people who have used substances problematically develop friendships needs to be investigated more from a first-person perspective. Aim To provide insight into how people in long-term recovery find meaning in their experience of building friendships. Method In semi-structured interviews, 17 people in recovery drew network maps and reflected on how friendships had developed during the long-term process. We analysed the narratives by way of a thematic narrative approach. Results Participants presented the friendship-formation process through four distinct storylines: (1) ‘I don’t make friends easily’; (2) overcoming barriers to building friendships; (3) ‘birds of a feather flock together’; and (4) ‘having “regular” friends makes me feel like an “average” person’. Conclusion People in long-term recovery from problematic substance use felt haunted and hindered by past experiences when building friendships. These experiences created a social divide between those who had experienced problematic substance use and those who had not. The valuable insights that social workers can gain from this study can support friendship development for people in long-term recovery on multiple levels. By understanding someone’s self-perceptions and their perspectives on others, social workers can engage with barriers when people in recovery enter social environments such as work. We emphasise the significance of a long-term approach to overcoming barriers to building new friendships.

Utilizing Deep Eutectic Solvents in the Recycle, Recovery, Purification and Miscellaneous Uses of Rare Earth Elements.

The boosted interest in using rare earth elements (REEs) in modern technologies has also increased the necessity of their recovery from various sources, including raw materials and wastes. Though hydrometallurgy plays a key role in these recovery processes, some drawbacks (apparent or not) of these processes (including the use of aggressive mineral acids, harmful extractants, and diluents, etc.) have led to the development of an environmental friendship subclass named solvometallurgy, in which non-aqueous solvents substituted to the aqueous media of the hydrometallurgical processing. Together with ionic liquids (ILs), the non-aqueous solvents chosen for these usages are the chemicals known as deep eutectic solvents (DEEs). The utilization of DEEs included the leaching of REEs from the different sources containing them and also in the separation-purification steps necessary for yielding these elements, normally oxides or salts, in the most purified form. This work reviewed the most recent literature (2023 year) about using deep eutectic solvents to recover REEs from various sources and coupling these two (DESs and REEs) to derive compounds to be used in other fields.