Quality of friendship of secondary school students - research in Vietnam

Friendship is essential for the emotional and social development of secondary school students, providing them with support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. Positive friendships also help students build trust, improve communication skills, and navigate challenges, contributing significantly to their overall well-being and personal growth. This study aimed to explore the status of friendship in middle school students in terms of four key aspects: closeness, support, safety and acceptance. A model to assess the quality of the peer relationships of secondary school students in Vietnam was introduced into the study. The research subjects are 127 secondary school students at 2 schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Friendship Quality (FQUA) scale was employed to carry out a quantitative analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that the quality of friendship of these students was differentiated according to each aspect, with help being the most prominent, followed by closeness, acceptance, and safety. The results suggest that while certain aspects of friendship are more emphasized than others are, there was no difference in the friendship quality of these students across gender, class and demographic groups. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the quality of friendship among secondary school students. Moreover, this study offers a foundation for educators and policy makers to design policies to improve the quality of life for adolescents, with a focus on improving peer relationships and overall well-being.