Friendship among adolescents: Needs and their relation to emotions and activities

The present study examined the need for friends, and the relation between the need for friends and emotional feelings toward friends and activities with friends. A total of 896 junior high school, senior high school, and university students completed a questionnaire about these 3 aspects of friendship. Factor analysis revealed 3 Needs : "Need for mutual respect," "Need for affiliation," and "Need for conformity." At every level in school, "Need for affiliation'' had a high score, and "Need fur conformity," a low score; "Need for mutual respect" increased with school level. The relation among the 3 aspects was analyzed by multiple regression analysis based on a model that emotional feelings toward friends influence the need for friends, and that the need for friends influences activities with friends. The major findings were that the emotions of reliance/stability and anxiety were related to all Needs factors, and the Need for affiliation related to every activity. The results were discussed in terms of the relation among needs, emotions, and friendship activities.