Abstract
This study aimed to clarify the development of friendships in preadolescent children in terms of the level of close friendships and the relationship between close friendships and several mental health aspects. Eight hundred and two students from the fourth to ninth grade participated in this questionnaire survey in 2008. The survey results revealed two components of close friendship: “intimacy with friend” and “emotional involvement with friend.” The results of an analysis of variance by gender and grade showed that girls experienced higher levels of intimacy and emotional involvement with friends than did the boys. According to a multiple regression analysis, the experience of intimacy lowers lack of self-efficacy and interpersonal stress, and emotional involvement raises children's satisfaction at school and their state of mind. However, in the eighth and ninth grades, emotional involvement was found to increase psychological problems such as tendency for depression, eating disorders, and interpersonal stress. These findings showed that both intimacy and involvement with friends are associated with mental development; therefore, schools should introduce psychological and educational activities that support friendships with consideration of grade level.
