Abstract

Previous research has shown that friendship during childhood and adolescence plays a significant role in shaping the course of a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development (Bukowski, Hoza & Boivic, 1994; Vandell & Hembree, 1994; Ladd, Kochenderfer & Coleman, 1996; Bukowski & Mesa, 2007). However, the vast majority of past research has focused on children and adolescents of nonimmigrant background (i.e., Western and White youth). In general, there is a limited focus on how children of immigrant background themselves view and perceive their friendship experiences (Rubin, Fredstrom & Bowker, 2008). Shedding light on how these children perceive their friendships may help to facilitate the development of effective prevention and intervention programs that seek to promote the psychosocial adjustment of children in immigrant families.
The present qualitative study used a photo-elicitation technique to capture the immigrant children’s experiences of friendship formation in an urban community in Montreal, Canada. Four children (ages 10-12) of immigrant background took photographs of what was important to them about their friendships and were invited to share personal stories and experiences. Each child was interviewed between three to five times for a total of 30 to 45 minutes. The findings from this study revealed that most children experienced an easy time with establishing and maintaining friendships, particularly with those friendships that were immediately available in their family and community networks. The case summaries also highlight some of the strengths and challenges that some children encountered, as well as how each child engaged with photography as a tool to express their values around social support.