Avoidance of Negative Emotions, Anticipation of Hurt Feeling After Self-Disclosure, and Friendship Orientation in Japanese Young Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how avoidance of negative emotions affected friendship orientation among Japanese young adults today. We hypothesized a causal model that avoidance of negative emotions resulted in superficial friendship, mediated by anticipation of hurt feeling after self-disclosure. In this study, 190 college students, 61 men and 129 women, completed a questionnaire. Results of structural equation model analysis indicated that avoidance of negative emotions directly influenced two aspects of friendship orientation: group formation and caring for friends. It also demonstrated that the avoidance had a significant effect on avoidance of intimate relationship with friends, which was mediated by the anticipation of hurt feeling. The results suggested that avoidance of negative emotions by young Japanese directly and indirectly resulted in superficial friendship.View full abstract