Groups for the Development of Friendship

Abstract

Qualitatively summarizing a longer piece of research also based on quantitative methods, the author analyzes small group, videotaped discussions of friendship in which graduate and undergraduate students participated. Through these sessions the therapeutic and educational values of discussion groups on "closest friendship" are evaluated. In these groups the peak experience coincided with the discussion of the possibility for true friendships between men and women. To illustrate the verbal and nonverbal content of this phase, a section of the transcripts is recorded. The potential and limitations of groups for the development offriendship are elaborated in terms of the functions and the constraints placed on them in particular sociocultural contexts.

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