Associations between interpersonal behavior and friendship quality in childhood and adolescence: A meta‐analysis.

This meta‐analysis examined concurrent associations between aggression, withdrawal, assertion, and prosocial behavior and each of positive and negative friendship quality across studies with 22,657 children and adolescents (Mage = 11.71 years; 51.7% girls; 67.7% White). Studies were published between 1995 to 2021 and 32.4% were conducted outside of North America. Aggression was linked to more negative, r¯ =.19, 95% CI [.14,.24], and less positive, r¯ = −.05 [−.08, −.01], friendships. Withdrawal was associated with less positive friendships, r¯ = −.13 [−.18, −.08], whereas prosocial behavior was related to more positive, r¯ =.29 [.22,.37], as well as less negative, r¯ = −.16 [−.20, −.12], friendships. Assertion was related to more positive friendships, r¯ =.15 [.01,.28]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]