Relation between Unmitigated Communion and Characteristics of Friendship among Contemporary Adolescents :

Focusing on Motivations for Friendships and Gender Differences

Abstract

This study investigated the association between friendships and unmitigated communion among contemporary adolescents, focusing on gender differences and related motivations. Although the existence of non‒interfering youths has been established, we deemed it necessary to concentrate on interfering youths and examine unmitigated communion. This study was conducted in January 2020 and included 376 college students (232 female students). Comparison of multiple models using structural equation modeling indicated that both male and female participants, high unmitigated communion was associated with “hurt avoidance” via an internalized motivation. Additionally, male participants, high unmitigated communion was associated with “hypomanic relationships” via an intrinsic motivation. The study findings suggest that male adolescents with high unmitigated communion exhibit more adaptive traits and motivation than their female counterparts. These results imply that future research should consider adolescents with interfering characteristics such as unmitigated communion when investigating friendships among contemporary adolescents.