Sophistication of Adolescents' Interpersonal Negotiation Strategies and Friendship Formation After Relocation: A Naturally Occurring Experiment

Abstract

This study examined the role of sophistication in interpersonal negotiation strategies in the formation of friendships in a sample of 74 adolescents who began the academic year in a new school following an intercommunity move. Ratings of sophistication of adolescents' responses to hypothetical interpersonal dilemmas involving adolescent dyads gathered in September were predictive of intimacy and companionship in dose friendships in November, even after controlling for premove levels of these friendship qualities. The findings support the view that competence in social perspective coordination exerts an important influence on friendship formation following residential relocation. The interpersonal negotiation strategies measure holds promise as a means to identify prospectively adolescents at risk for difficulties in forming new friendships after relocation.