Interethnic friendship formation

Abstract

The establishment of mutual and supporting friendships is considered to be a major developmental task during the adolescent years, and both immigrant and native majority adolescents have to deal with it. Immigrant adolescents, however, often face additional challenges, such as discrimination and prejudice, and experience different cultural norms and values across different life domains. The aim of this chapter is to take a closer look at the friendships of immigrant adolescents; it starts with general theoretical considerations regarding friendships during the adolescent years. These general considerations are complemented by immigrant-specific theories on friendships. Next, the chapter discusses empirical findings on the homophily and friendship experiences of immigrant and native majority peers and methodological concerns, including sampling and assessment issues. The chapter ends with a discussion of current and future research questions as well as implications for policies.