When Friends Behave Badly: Loneliness and Children's Expectations of Friends and Responses to Transgressions

Abstract

Previous research has shown that friendships buffer against loneliness, but some children remain lonely despite having best friends. The current study examines relationships between loneliness and friendship functions, expectations, and responses to friendship transgressions in children with best friends (8-11 years; N = 177). Children completed questionnaires that measured loneliness, fulfilment of friendship functions, friendship expectations, and the Transgressions of Friendship Expectations Questionnaire (MacEvoy & Asher, 2012). Findings in the current study showed that loneliness was associated with lower friendship expectations and higher reliable alliance in existing best friendships. Loneliness was also associated with lower sadness and lower perceptions of feeling controlled and devalued by their friend when they transgress. Thus, children with best friends experiencing high loneliness may be more permissiveness of friendship transgressions and may need support to ensure that they do not allow their friends to be unfair to them.