Cross-group friendships and psychological well-being: A dual pathway through social integration and empowerment

Bagci S. C., TÜRNÜKLÜ A., Bekmezci E.

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, vol.57, no.4, pp.773-792, 2018 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 57 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2018
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/bjso.12267
  • Journal Name: BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.773-792
  • Keywords: collective action, cross-group friendships, disabled, minority, outgroup attitudes, psychological well-being, MEMBERS ACCULTURATION PREFERENCES, NEEDS-BASED MODEL, INTERGROUP CONTACT, COLLECTIVE ACTION, ETHNIC FRIENDSHIPS, EXTENDED CONTACT, MINORITY MEMBERS, PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION, OUTGROUP ATTITUDES, EMOTIONAL NEEDS
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study investigated the associations between cross-group friendships and psychological well-being among a sample of physically disabled adults. A total of 269 disabled people (M-age=39.13, SD=13.80; 114 females, 152 males, 3 unknown) completed questionnaires including the quality of their friendships with non-disabled people, perceived majority group's attitudes towards the minority group, collective self-esteem, collective action tendencies, own outgroup attitudes, and psychological well-being. Findings demonstrated that disabled people's cross-group friendships were directly and indirectly associated with higher levels of psychological well-being via two routes: one by promoting perceived majority attitudes which consequently led to more positive own outgroup attitudes (well-being through social integration hypothesis) and the other by leading to higher levels of collective self-esteem which enhanced collective action tendencies (well-being through empowerment hypothesis). Findings offer important insights into the study of cross-group friendships in relation to the psychological well-being of stigmatized minority group members.