Close friendship as a determinant of social adjustment, interpersonal adjustment and anxiety

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present research was to evaluate close friendship in relation to social adjustment, interpersonal adjustment and anxiety. In this investigation, it was hypothesized that individuals who have none or one close friend, as compared to individuals how have more than one close friend would [i] be less adjusted socially [ii] be less adjusted interpersonally, and [iii] have a higher degree of anxiety. In order to test these hypotheses, a questionnaire of social and interpersonal adjustment was prepared and Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale was utilized. A short questionnaire was also prepared to determine qualitative components of close friendship. These questionnaires were given to 122 subjects: 61 of whom had none or only one close friend and 61 other subjects who had more than one close friend each. t-test of independent samples was applied to investigate whether close friendship is a determinant of all the three variables i.e. social adjustment, interpersonal adjustment, and the level of anxiety. It was statistically found that significant differences do not exist between those who had none or only one close friend and those who had more than one close friend in relation to social adjustment, interpersonal, and anxiety