The present study examines the associations between peer acceptance and friendship with loneliness, self-esteem and school engagement in a sample of 180 primary school pupils (M age = 10.94 years old, SD = 0.82, age range: 9–12 years). Peer acceptance was evaluated through a sociometric procedure, the number of children’s mutual friendships through peer nominations and friendship quality, while self-esteem and loneliness were assessed through self-report questionnaires. Peer-rated acceptance/popularity and provision of help by friends in school were both found to contribute significantly to pupils’ self-esteem and to their tendency not to avoid school. Security in friendship emerged as a moderately significant factor in predicting feelings of loneliness or school liking, while companionship among friends was found to protect moderately from loneliness in school. The present research findings support previous evidence attesting to the link between friendship-related factors and children’s psychosocial adjustment in the school environment.

Understanding and regulating emotions influence children’s friendships. Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) have difficulties in understanding emotions and in controlling themselves. Τhe present study examines how children’s friendships and their quality may be affected by emotion understanding and regulation skills. Participants were 64 children with ADHD, 64 children with SLD, and 64 typically developing (TD) children (M_age = 9.77 years, SD = 1.22) who answered questionnaires about their friendships, and their emotion understanding and regulation. Results showed that ADHD children had less friends, lower friendship qualities, worse understanding of emotions and control of their impulsivity, and used less cognitive reappraisals to regulate emotions, followed by SLD children and finally by TD children. Children with SLD reported using more expressive suppressions for regulating emotions. For all children, emotion understanding and regulation predicted higher friendship quality. The results support the significance of understanding and regulating emotions upon the quality of children’s best friendships.

Sibling and friendship relationships are quite similar, in that they are both dyadic and reciprocal, and offer the child feelings of warmth, trust, loyalty and intimacy. Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience difficulties in their interpersonal relationships. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of and to acknowledge possible links between sibling and friendship relationships of children with ADHD and typical development. Participants were 40 ADHD children and 120 typically developing peers, attending Greek primary schools (M_age = 9.51 years, SD = 1.1). The Sibling Relationship Questionnaire, sociometric nominations, and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire were used. The results showed that children with ADHD had greater antagonism with their siblings and fewer reciprocated friendships. Significant differences in friendship quality between the two groups were observed. Sibling relationships were found to influence all children’s number of mutual friends, and the friendship quality of the typically developing children.

The present study examined younger and older children’s perceptions of friendship characteristics and expectations from best friends. One hundred and eighty eight children (Mage = 8.51 years old, SD = 1.70, age range: 6–11 years old) from two primary schools of Athens were involved in a 15-min semi-structured interview and produced drawings of themselves with their best friends. Results indicated that older children required significantly more affection from their best friends, and their conflicts involved public and private disrespect. In addition, in their drawings, similarity was a significant attribute. However, throughout childhood, propinquity, support, common interests and physical attraction were common prerequisites from best friendships. Gender differences were found, with girls requiring quality in their best friendships.

Social understanding relies upon children’s experience of the world and their communicative interaction with others. Opportunities to engage in cooperative social interaction, such as friendships, can foster the development of social understanding. Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia often have friendships of poorer quality. The present study examined relationships and differences in social understanding and friendship quality in children with ADHD or dyslexia, in comparison to neurotypically developing children (NTD). Participants were 192 primary-school students (M_age = 9.77, SD = 1.21) from Attica, Greece. Social understanding was measured with second-order and advanced theory of mind (ToM) tasks, and the Bryant’s Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents, while friendships were examined with the Friendship Quality Questionnaire. Children with ADHD scored significantly lower across all positive characteristics of friendship quality, empathy and advanced ToM than those with dyslexia, who in turn scored significantly lower than NTD children. Moreover, children with ADHD performed significantly worse in the second-order ToM tasks compared to children with NTD or dyslexia, while NTD children scored significantly lower in the friendship conflict betrayal subscale compared to both ADHD and dyslexia groups. Multiple regression analyses controlling for learning disability status, gender, and age showed that ToM and perceived empathy predict friendship quality characteristics in all groups of children. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of children’s friendship relationships and give insight to parents and professionals involved in children’s education, provision, and mental health care.