One of the most important relationships in the life of tweens and teens is friendship. Having good friends and feeling a sense of belonging are crucial for a child’s development and identity formation.
How can tweens and teens foster positive friendships? Is there a way to encourage friendships across ethnic differences?
To find out, Dr. Leslie Echols of Missouri State University and Dr. Jerreed Ivanich of the University of Colorado conducted a study with middle school students. They used the 36 questions activity known as Fast Friends.
Echols, an associate professor of psychology who researches peer relations particularly in the school setting, shares more about the study.
