The role of home language in children's friendship choice and peer acceptance

• DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101323
• Publication Date: 2021-09-14T04:53:58Z
• Authors: L. Lee; A. Williams; C. Lao; N. Lagunas; C.A. Langner
• Keywords: 4. Education; 05 social sciences; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences

Abstract The present study examined the role of home language and school climate in children's friend preferences and peer liking. Participants were 109 elementary school-age students (50% girls, 47% boys; m = 7.9 years old) enrolled in a dual-language (English & Spanish) immersion school. Students were asked to identify, by circling names from a class list, their three best friends and the three classmates they liked most. Students were also interviewed about their perceptions of the school climate. Results showed that children nominated significantly more same-language peers as best friends compared to chance. Third graders, who were separated for part of the day based on home language, selected more same-language best friends than did second graders, who spent the whole day together with classmates. Students from English-speaking homes received a greater number of “most liked” nominations than did those from Spanish-speaking homes. Implications for practice and future research are addressed.