FRIENDSHIP QUALITY AND SUBJECTIVE VITALITY AMONG ADOLESCENTS: SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AS MODERATOR

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical developmental period during which social relationships, particularly friendship quality, play a vital role in shaping subjective well-being, with socioeconomic status influencing these dynamics.This research investigates the relationship between friendship quality and subjective vitality among adolescents, while examining the moderating role of socioeconomic status (SES) in this relationship. A total of 320 adolescents from three higher secondary schools and two private colleges in Faisalabad district, Punjab, Pakistan, participated in the study. Data were collected using the Friendship Quality Questionnaire, Socioeconomic Status Scale, and Subjective Vitality Scale, and analyzed with SPSS and Hayes’ Process macro. Correlation analyses revealed that friendship quality and its subscales (safety, closeness, acceptance, and help) were positively and significantly correlated with subjective vitality, whereas both friendship quality and its subscales were negatively correlated with SES. SES was also significantly negatively associated with subjective vitality. Moderation analysis demonstrated that SES significantly moderated and predicted subjective vitality, with friendship quality serving as a significant positive predictor. Furthermore, the interaction between friendship quality and SES was significant and positive. Future research should explore longitudinal designs to better understand the causal pathways among friendship quality, socioeconomic status, and subjective vitality across diverse adolescent populations.

Keywords: Friendship quality, subjective vitality, socioeconomic status, adolescents