A study on how adolescent twins develop friendships

Abstract

Forming friendships is “an important developmental task in emerging adulthood” (Chow & Ruhl, 2014, p. 106) and vital for the social, cognitive and emotional development of adolescents (Newcomb & Bagwell, 1996). Few studies exist on patterns of friendship among adolescent twins e.g. Thorpe and Gardner (2006) and Lamarche et al. (2006) and local literature on adolescent twins is sparse and merits developing. Using Arnett’s (2004) theory of “emerging adulthood” as conceptual framework and the accounts of the lived experiences of adolescent twins, this study investigates whether twinship affects the development of friendships and emotional closeness with friends and with each other. The analysis of interviews held with three unrelated sets of twins focused on three themes: (i) Selection of Friends; (ii) Twins’ Influence on Friendships; (iii) Emotional Closeness with Friends and with Each Other. The findings evidenced that twinship exerted an influence on the development of friendships and on the emotional closeness with each other and friends. However, the experience and perspectives of the twins also indicated the wish for separation and individuation notwithstanding the value and emotional closeness of their experience as twins. The study concludes with highlighting the need for more qualitative research on twins in general and from multi-ethnic and multi-cultural backgrounds, on twins on a one-to-one basis and on the relationships of twins with others.