Early adolescents' parent-child communication and friendship quality: A cross-lagged analysis

Abstract

This study explored the two-way relationship between parent-child communication and the friendship quality of early adolescents, as well as the stability of these constructs and of gender differences, using a cross-lagged analysis. We conducted a 10-month follow-up study with 842 adolescents using the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire. Results show that both father-child and mother-child communication at Time 1 significantly and positively predicted friendship quality in early adolescence as measured at Time 2; that is, the better was parent-child communication at Time 1, the higher was the friendship quality in early adolescence at Time 2. However, friendship quality at Time 1 did not significantly predict parent-child at Time 2. Additionally, parent-child communication and friendship quality were better among children in seventh compared to eighth grade. Girls' friendship quality was higher than that of boys, whereas boys' parent-child communication was better than that of girls.