A comparison of same-ethnicity and cross-ethnicity friendship quality of adolescents in Vietnam

• Main Authors: Quyen, Le To Do, Mohd Zaharim, Norzarina, Huynh, Van-Son
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: HM Sociology
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/13248/1/58.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/13248/; http://www.insanmaya.net/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

The present study explored the differences of same-ethnicity and cross-ethnicity friendship quality of adolescents in Vietnam.Participants were 200 ethnic majority students and 200 ethnic minority students from two public high schools in DakLak, Vietnam.The participants answered the McGill Friendship Questionnaire-Respondent's Affection (MFQRA).Adolescents from ethnic majority and minority groups did not show any significant differences for same-ethnicity friendship quality, but for the cross-ethnicity friendship quality, adolescents from ethnic minority groups reported significantly higher “positive feelings for a friend” than adolescents from the ethnic majority group.In contrast, there were significant differences between genders in same-ethnicity friendship quality but not in cross-ethnicity friendship quality with girls reporting significantly higher “positive feelings for a friend” and overall same-ethnicity friendship quality than boys.These findings are discussed vis-à-vis past research on intra- and inter-ethnic friendship and gender comparison in friendship.