Pupils from poor households less likely to be chosen as friends

One explanation for the difference is that poor young people have less money available for sports or hobbies and are therefore less able to socialise outside school Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Young people from poor families have fewer friends than their financially better-off schoolmates, according to researchers from the Universities of Zurich and Stockholm in a study.

The research team analysed data from 4,787 Swedish young people aged 14 and 15 in 235 school classes for the study published in the journal Social Networks, the University of Zurich (UZH) said on Thursday. The researchers defined families in the bottom 20% of the income scale in Sweden as poor.

“We were surprised that parental income plays a role even within low-income groups. This could mean that social status with corresponding attributes such as fashionable clothing or trendy leisure activities is important when forming a friendship,” said lead author Isabel Raabe from UZH.

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According to the researchers, another explanation for the difference could be that poor young people have less money available for sports or hobbies and are therefore less able to socialise outside school. In addition, young people from low-income families could suffer from economic and family-related psychosocial stress, which affects their behaviour and makes them less attractive as friends.

Reinforcing effect

However, the friendship gap cannot be completely explained by the income differences between parents, said Raabe. There must be mechanisms that reinforce the existing differences.

According to Raabe, one such mechanism could be that people tend to become friends with their friends’ friends. Every friendship therefore potentially generates further friendships. In this way, initially small differences in the number of friendships could increase, she explained.

The researchers recommend counteracting these tendencies and creating more opportunities to build new friendships in schools. For example, through a mixed seating arrangement or through inter-class afternoon activities.

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