J. Dunn et al., Family lives and friendships: The perspectives of children in step-, single-parent, and nonstep families, J FAM PSYCH, 15(2), 2001, pp. 272-287
Children's reports on their experiences in different family settings (stepf
amilies, single-parent families, and intact families), their contact with f
riends, and the quality of their friendships were studied with data from 23
8 children drawn from a community sample. A particular focus was on childre
n's confiding and communication: children's recall of communication about f
amily transitions and their current communication about stepfamily issues w
ith family and friends. Friends were found to be key confidants. The relati
ons between children's family lives (confiding, parent-child relationships,
family activities, involvement in parental conflict, and communication abo
ut stepfamily issues) and their friendships were investigated and found to
be linked to biological relatedness and family setting.