This study explores the subjective experiences and perceptions related to intimacy in friendships in a group of aggressive-popular adolescents in urban schools characterized by high rates of community violence. Individual interviews were conducted with 12 volunteering adolescents (12–14 years old). Procedures from grounded theory were used to enable thematic coding, departing from a social identity, socio-emotional, and ecological perspective. The narratives by adolescents highlighted the influence the social environment in which they grew had on individual psychological conditions that shape their emotional responses, self-concept, and beliefs. They exhibit aggressive behavior and to value popularity as an adaptive form of social survival, and belonging. Their social behavior has influence on their friendships face challenges, especially regarding the perception of envy from friends and the associated self-disclosure constraints when individuals are involved in high-violence contexts.
BagwellC.SchmidtM. E. (2011). Studying friendship. In BagwellC. L.SchmidtM. E. (Eds.), Friendships in childhood & adolescence (pp. 25–60). Guilford Press.
2.
BarkerC.PistrangN.ElliottR. (2016). Perspectives on research. In BarkerC.PistrangN.ElliottR. (Eds.), Research methods in clinical psychology: An introduction for students and practitioners (3rd ed., pp. 5–28). Wiley Blackwell.
3.
BarrD. (2017). Friendship and belonging. In SelmanR.WattsC.Hickey-SchultzL. (Eds.), Fostering Friendship (Ebook) (pp. 1–12). Routledge.
4.
BartzJ. A.LydonJ. E. (2004). Close relationships and the working self-concept: Implicit and explicit effects of priming attachment on agency and communion. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(11), 1389–1401. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204264245
BergerC.DeutschN.CuadrosO.FrancoE.RojasM.RouxG.SanchezF. (2020). Adolescent peer processes in extracurricular activities: Identifying developmental opportunities. Children and Youth Services Review, 118, 105457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105457
7.
BerndtT. J. (2002). Friendship quality and social development. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(1), 7–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.00157
Bradley-GeistJ. C.RiveraI.GeringerS. D. (2015). The collateral damage of ambient sexism: Observing sexism impacts bystander self-esteem and career aspirations. Sex Roles, 73(1), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11199-015-0512-Y
10.
BukowskiW. M. (2011). Popularity as a social concept: Meanings and significance. In CillessenA. H. N.SchwartzD.MayeuxL. (Eds.), Popularity in the peer system (pp. 3–24). The Guilford Press.
11.
BusbyD. R.LambertS. F.IalongoN. S. (2013). Psychological symptoms linking exposure to community violence and academic functioning in African American adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42(2), 250–262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9895-z
12.
ButcherF.GalanekJ. D.KretschmarJ. M.FlanneryD. J. (2015). The impact of neighborhood disorganization on neighborhood exposure to violence, trauma symptoms, and social relationships among at-risk youth. Social Science & Medicine, 146, 300–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.10.013
ChoiB.ParkS. (2018). Who becomes a bullying perpetrator after the experience of bullying victimization? The moderating role of self-esteem. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(11), 2414–2423. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0913-7
15.
CillessenA.JiangX. L.WestT.LaszkowskiD. (2005). Predictors of dyadic friendship quality in adolescence. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 29(2), 165–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/01650250444000360
16.
CillessenA. H.MayeuxL.HaT.de BruynE. H.LaFontanaK. M. (2014). Aggressive effects of prioritizing popularity in early adolescence. Aggressive Behavior, 40(3), 204–213. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21518
17.
CorbinJ. M.StraussA. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, canons, and evaluative criteria. Qualitative Sociology, 13(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988593
18.
CrawfordA. M.ManassisK. (2011). Anxiety, social skills, friendship quality, and peer victimization: An integrated model. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 25(7), 924–931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2011.05.005
19.
CrickN. R.GrotpeterJ. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66(3), 710–722. https://doi.org/10.2307/1131945
De YoungA. C.KenardyJ. A.CobhamV. E. (2011). Trauma in early childhood: A neglected population. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 14(3), 231–250. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-011-0094-3
FarisR.FelmleeD. (2011). Status struggles: Network centrality and gender segregation in same- and cross-gender aggression. American Sociological Review, 76(1), 48–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122410396196
FosterC. E.HorwitzA.ThomasA.OppermanK.GipsonP.BurnsideA.StoneD. M.KingC. A. (2017). Connectedness to family, school, peers, and community in socially vulnerable adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review, 81, 321–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.08.011
26.
GallupeO.McLeveyJ.BrownS. (2019). Selection and influence: A meta-analysis of the association between peer and personal offending. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 35(2), 313–335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10940-018-9384-y
GraberR.TurnerR.MadillA. (2016). Best friends and better coping: Facilitating psychological resilience through boys’ and girls’ closest friendships. British Journal of Psychology, 107(2), 338–358. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12135
HusseinM. T. E.KennedyA.OliverB. (2017). Grounded theory and the conundrum of literature review: Framework for novice researchers. The Qualitative Report, 22(4), 1199–1210. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/tqr/vol22/iss4/16
InfanteM.MatusC.PaulsenA.SalazarA.VizcarraR. (2013). Narrando la vulnerabilidad escolar: performatividad, espacio y territorio. Literatura y Lingüística, 27, 281–308. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0716-58112013000100014
33.
KapurN. B. (1991). Why it is wrong to be always guided by the best: Consequentialism and friendship. Ethics, 101(3), 483–504. https://doi.org/10.1086/293313
34.
KawabataY.TsengW.-L.CrickN. R. (2014). Adaptive, maladaptive, mediational, and bidirectional processes of relational and physical aggression, relational and physical victimization, and peer liking. Aggressive Behavior, 40(3), 273–287. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21517
35.
KendrickK.JutengrenG.StattinH. (2012). The protective role of supportive friends against bullying perpetration and victimization. Journal of Adolescence, 35(4), 1069–1080. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.02.014
36.
KnifsendC. A.JuvonenJ. (2014). Social identity complexity, cross-ethnic friendships, and intergroup attitudes in urban middle schools. Child Development, 85(2), 709–721. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12157
37.
KornienkoO.DavilaM.SantosC. E. (2019). Friendship network dynamics of aggressive and rule-breaking antisocial behaviors in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 48(10), 2065–2078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-019-01109-9
38.
KornienkoO.HaT.DishionT. J. (2020). Dynamic pathways between rejection and antisocial behavior in peer networks: Update and test of confluence model. Development and Psychopathology, 32(1), 175–188. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579418001645
39.
KornienkoO.SantosC. E.MartinC. L.GrangerK. L. (2016). Peer influence on gender identity development in adolescence. Developmental Psychology, 52(10), 1578–1592. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000200
40.
KraftC.MayeuxL. (2018). Associations among friendship jealousy, peer status, and relational aggression in early adolescence. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 38(3), 385–407. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431616670992
41.
LaFontanaK. M.CillessenA. H. (2002). Children’s perceptions of popular and unpopular peers: A multimethod assessment. Developmental Psychology, 38(5), 635–647. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.38.5.635
42.
Laninga-WijnenL.HarakehZ.SteglichC.DijkstraJ. K.VeenstraR.VolleberghW. (2017). The norms of popular peers moderate friendship dynamics of adolescent aggression. Child Development, 88(4), 1265–1283. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12650
Massey-AbernathyA.Byrd-CravenJ. (2016). Seeing but not feeling: Machiavellian traits in relation to physiological empathetic responding and life experiences. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, 2(3), 252–266. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-016-0041-0
45.
MathewsA.DerlegaV. J.MorrowJ. (2006). What is highly personal information and how is it related to self-disclosure decision-making? The perspective of college students. Communication Research Reports, 23(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824090600668915
46.
McCarthyM. H.WoodJ. V.HolmesJ. G. (2017). Dispositional pathways to trust: Self-esteem and agreeableness interact to predict trust and negative emotional disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(1), 95–116. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000093
47.
Memmott-ElisonM. K.HolmgrenH. G.Padilla-WalkerL. M.HawkinsA. J. (2020). Associations between prosocial behavior, externalizing behaviors, and internalizing symptoms during adolescence: A meta-analysis. Journal of Adolescence, 80, 98–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2020.01.012
48.
MenonM.TobinD. D.CorbyB. C.MenonM.HodgesE. V. E.PerryD. G. (2007). The developmental costs of high self-esteem for antisocial children. Child Development, 78(6), 1627–1639. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01089.x
49.
MerrileesC. E.CairnsE.TaylorL. K.Goeke-MoreyM. C.ShirlowP.CummingsE. M. (2013). Social identity and youth aggressive and delinquent behaviors in a context of political violence. Political Psychology, 34(5), 695–711. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12030
50.
MetzgerI. W.AndersonR. E.AreF.RitchwoodT. (2021). Healing interpersonal and racial trauma: Integrating racial socialization into trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for African American youth. Child Maltreatment, 26(1), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559520921457
51.
MuggahR.Aguirre-TobonK. A. (2018). Citizen security in Latin America: Facts and figures (Workin Paper #33). Igarape Institute.
52.
MuldoonO. T. (2013). Understanding the impact of political violence in childhood: A theoretical review using a social identity approach. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(8), 929–939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.07.004
53.
NoretN.HunterS. C.RasmussenS. (2020). The role of perceived social support in the relationship between being bullied and mental health difficulties in adolescents. School Mental Health, 12(1), 156–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09339-9
54.
O’ConnorC.JoffeH. (2020). Intercoder reliability in qualitative research: Debates and practical guidelines. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1609406919899220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919899220
55.
PasténI. L.LobosD, P.MosquedaD, A. (2011). Comportamiento agresivo en varones de 10 a 12 años, pertenecientes a colegios de Valparaíso. Ciencia y Enfermeria, 17(2), 97–109. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0717-95532011000200011
56.
Peña OchoaM. (2016). Ellos contra nosotros: Un análisis crítico de discurso desde los sostenedores privados y los niños segregados en la educación chilena. Polis, 15(45), 385–403. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-65682016000300019
57.
PotocnjakM.BergerC.TomicicT. (2011). Una aproximación relacional a la violencia escolar entre pares en adolescentes chilenos: Perspectiva adolescente de los factores intervinientes. Psykhe (Santiago), 20, 39–52. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-22282011000200004
58.
PoulinF.DishionT. J. (2008). Methodological issues in the use of peer sociometric nominations with middle school youth. Social Development, 17(4), 908–921. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2008.00473.x
59.
PuckettM. B.AikinsJ. W.CillessenA. H. (2008). Moderators of the association between relational aggression and perceived popularity. Aggressive Behavior, 34(6), 563–576. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20280
60.
ReynoldsA. D.CreaT. M. (2016). Household stress and adolescent behaviours in urban families: The mediating roles of parent mental health and social supports. Child & Family Social Work, 21(4), 568–580. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12181
61.
RisørH.Arteaga-PérezI. (2018). Disjunctive belongings and the utopia of intimacy: Violence, love and friendship among poor urban youth in neoliberal Chile. Identities, 25(2), 228–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/1070289x.2017.1400278
62.
RodkinP. C.BergerC. (2008). Who bullies whom? Social status asymmetries by victim gender. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 32(6), 473–485. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025408093667
63.
RoseA. J.SmithR. L. (2018). Gender and peer relationships. In BukowskiW. M.LaursenB.RubinK. H. (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 571–589). The Guilford Press. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-00748-029
64.
RoseA. J.SmithR. L.GlickG. C.Schwartz-MetteR. A. (2016). Girls’ and boys’ problem talk: Implications for emotional closeness in friendships. Developmental Psychology, 52(4), 629–639. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000096
65.
RuschoffB.DijkstraJ. K.VeenstraR.LindenbergS. (2015). Peer status beyond adolescence: Types and behavioral associations. Journal of Adolescence, 45, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.08.013
66.
SandlerI. N.MillerP.ShortJ.WolchikS. A. (1989). Social support as a protective factor for children in stress. In BelleD. (Ed.), Children’s social networks and social supports (pp. 277–307). John Wiley & Sons.
67.
ScandroglioB.Lopez-MartínezJ.San José-SebastiánM. C. (2008). La Teoría de la Identidad Social: una síntesis crítica de sus fundamentos, evidencias y controversias. Psicothema, 20(1), 80–89. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/727/72720112.pdf
68.
SheltonJ. N.TrailT. E.WestT. V.BergsiekerH. B. (2010). From strangers to friends: The interpersonal process model of intimacy in developing interracial friendships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27(1), 71–90. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407509346422
SimonJ. B.NailP. R.SwindleT.BihmE. M.JoshiK. (2017). Defensive egotism and self-esteem: A cross-cultural examination of the dynamics of bullying in middle school. Self and Identity, 16(3), 270–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2016.1232660
71.
SoenensB.VansteenkisteM.GoossensL.DuriezB.NiemiecC. P. (2008). The intervening role of relational aggression between psychological control and friendship quality. Social Development, 17(3), 661–681. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00454.x
72.
SpearsR. (2011). Group identities: The social identity perspective. In SchwartzS.LuyckxK.VignolesV. (Eds.), Handbook of identity theory and research (pp. 201–224). Springer.
73.
StoltzS.CillessenA. H.van Den BergY. H.GommansR. (2016). Popularity differentially predicts reactive and proactive aggression in early adolescence. Aggressive Behavior, 42(1), 29–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21603
74.
StraussA.CorbinJ. (1994). Grounded theory methodology an overview. In DenzinN. K.LincolnY. S. (Eds.), Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp. 273–285). SAGE Publications, Inc.
75.
TajfelH. (1981). Human Groups and social categories: Studies in Social Psychology. Cambridge University Press.
76.
TigheL. A.BirdittK. S.AntonucciT. C. (2016). Intergenerational ambivalence in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for depressive symptoms over time. Developmental Psychology, 52(5), 824–834. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040146
77.
Topolewska-SiedzikE.CieciuchJ. (2018). Trajectories of identity formation modes and their personality context in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(4), 775–792. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0824-7
78.
VarelaJ. J.Torres-VallejosJ.GonzálezC.GarcíaO. (2020). La percepción de apego con la escuela como un factor protector para conductas antisociales en escolares chilenos. Psykhe, 29(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.7764/psykhe.29.2.1416
79.
WagnerL. (2019). Good character is what we look for in a friend: Character strengths are positively related to peer acceptance and friendship quality in early adolescents. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 39(6), 864–903. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431618791286
80.
WebbA.AlvarezP. (2018). Counteracting victimization in unequal educational contexts: Latin American migrants’ friendship dynamics in Chilean schools. Equity & Excellence in Education, 51(3–4), 416–430. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2019.1582377
