CO-ETHNIC AND INTER-ETHNIC FRIENDSHIPS IN ADOLESCENCE: DIFFERENCES IN QUALITY, CONFLICT, AND PROBLEM SOLVING ; AMISTADES CO-ÉTNICAS E INTER-ÉTNICAS EN LA ADOLESCENCIA: DIFERENCIAS EN CALIDAD, CONFLICTO Y RESOLUCIÓN DE PROBLEMAS

In recent years, the mass arrival of foreign population of school age in Catalonia has increased cultural diversity in the classroom. In this context, friends are an important support that contributes to better integration. The aim of this study was to describe and compare inter-ethnic and co-ethnic friendship relations in terms of their friendship quality, conflict, and problem solving strategies. The sample is drawn from secondary school students in schools with significant presence of immigrants. Ninety students in 45 friendship dyads participated in a semi-structured interview. In total, the sample includes 20 dyads of co-ethnic friendships and 25 dyads of inter-ethnic friendships.Results show that for co-ethnic dyads the most important friendship valuesare trust and companionship. Among inter-ethnic friendships it is trust andsupport. In co-ethnic dyads conflict occurs due to disagreements that resultin anger or sadness. Inter-ethnic dyads are similar in their reports of conflict, but they also emphasize lack of loyalty as a reason of conflict. Both types of dyads use similar strategies for conflict resolution: to talk about what happened, which brings them a sense of relief and comfort, which in turn increases ease and wellbeing. These results unveil the need to promote spaces for integration that can generate dyadic friendship relations in educational contexts of cultural diversity. ; En los últimos años, la llegada masiva de población extranjera en edad escolar a Cataluña ha incrementado la diversidad cultural en las aulas. En este contexto, los amigos son un soporte importante que contribuye a una mejor integración. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y comparar los valores que definen la calidad, el conflicto y sus formas de resolución en amistades co-étnicas e inter-étnicas de adolescentes en Institutos de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, con presencia significativa de estudiantes de origen extranjero.Para ello se realizó una entrevista semiestructurada. Participaron 90 estudiantes ...