Distinguishing mean and structural sex differences in adolescent friendship quality

This study examined sex differences in the structural and mean levels of two adolescent friendship qualities (intimacy and peer control). Structural sex differences were identified when the indicators of friendship quality differed for boys and girls. Mean sex differences were noted when boys and girls differed in the frequency of expressing the friendship quality. Characteristics of same-sex friendships were surveyed in 230 male and 221 female high-school students. Structural sex differences were supported such that Ii) companionship was more strongly indicated by intimacy in boys than in girls, and (ii) overt behavioral control was more strongly indicated by peer control in girls than in boys. Mean sex differences replicated previous findings in that girls reported more frequent intimate behaviors than did boys, whereas boys reported more frequent peer control behaviors than did girls. These findings suggest that structural and mean sex differences can be independent of one another. The presence of such differences has implications for developing appropriate measures of a variety of psychosocial constructs for both sexes.