Friendship bonds in adolescence.

To assess the major motifs of interpersonal relations, achievement, and physical development influencing friendship formations, 204 adolescents at three grade levels responded to an open-ended questionnaire concerning friendship values. While the interpersonal category was salient at all grade levels for both boys and girls, it increased with time. A corresponding decrease for the achievement and physical attributes categories also emerged. Thus, friendship formations suggest a developmental trend in terms of selection, exhibiting the highest fluctuation by late adolescence.