A Developmental Exploration of Friendship Functions in Women

Abstract

Interpersonal attachments in adulthood were explored through the investigation of the friendship functions in 172 women from 14 through 80. A priori functions were rated by the respondents on a Likert-Scale for their five best friends. Factor analyses revealed three orthogonal factors which characterized friendship for all age groups, “intimacy-assistance,” “status,” and “power.” One way analyses of variance (function by age groups) found no significant age differences between age groups for the function of “intimacy-assistance.” Significant differences for the functions of “status” and “power” were, however, apparent. Women from adolescence through the fifties rated their friends as decreasingly less important for “status” purposes, while women sixty and over rated this function very highly. “Power” decreased with increasing age through the fifties. There was a slight nonsignificant increase in the 60+ age group. These findings are discussed in relation to cognitive changes and developmental issues within various life-stages.