Breaking Up (With a Friend) Is Hard to Do: An Examination of Friendship Dissolution Among Early Adolescents

Abstract

The current study examined the experience of friendship dissolution among early adolescents, including the number of friendship dissolutions, the reasons for the dissolution, and the ways in which friendships ended. Participants were 354 middle school students ( ${\overline{X}}_{\mathrm{age}}$ = 11.89 years, SD = .86). Results indicate that dissolutions are quite common, reported by 86% of the sample. Conflict/betrayal was the most common reason for friendship dissolution, and avoidance was the most common method used to end a friendship. The current study also investigated associations between dissolution experiences and emotional reactions following the dissolution and current depressive symptoms. Adolescents felt a nuanced mix of emotions including both sadness and happiness/relief following dissolution experiences. Emotional reactions differed based on why the friendship ended, how it ended, and who did the “breaking up.” The current findings provide a critical first step in understanding the experience of friendship dissolution and its implications for adolescents’ emotional well-being.