Distinctions between Unilateral and Reciprocal Friendship Concepts, Qualities, and Longitudinal Processes in Early Childhood

Reciprocal (also known as reciprocated) and unilateral (also known as unreciprocated) friendships are common in preschool, but are children sensitive to differences in these relationships? How does dyadic relationship quality predict the longitudinal trajectories of unilateral and reciprocal friends? A sample of 148 United States children ( M age = 49.73 months, SD = 7.36, 45.95% girls; 80% White, 15% Asian, 5% Black) completed sociometric interviews in fall, winter, and spring of a school year, and teachers rated dyadic relationship qualities (intimacy, support, conflict) in fall and spring. Reciprocal friends nominated and ranked each other within the top five nominations. Unilateral friends were in a nominator’s top five but did not reciprocate the nomination at all. Within nominators, particularly those with high peer acceptance, reciprocal were ranked higher than unilateral friends, and intimacy was higher in reciprocal than unilateral friendships, especially for older children. Longitudinal trajectories of unilateral and reciprocal dyads provided proxies for models of friendship formation and stability, respectively. Intimacy, support, and conflict were used as predictors of changes in dyads’ mutual attraction (mutuality in friendship nominations) and play preference (mutual ratings of preferences for each other in play) in winter and spring. In both friendship processes, fall support positively predicted winter play preferences, and spring intimacy predicted concurrent play preference. However, support was central to formation, whereas intimacy predicted stability. Results suggest that preschoolers are sensitive to variations in interpersonal chemistry among their liked peers, and that relationship quality relates to friendship outcomes within both friendship formation and stability.