Very interesting research has surfaced from Concordia University about best friends. Co-author of the study, William M. Bukowksi, Ph.D., said that, "If a child is alone when he or she gets in trouble with a teacher or has an argument with a classmate, we see a measurable increase in cortisol levels and decrease in feelings of self-worth." When a child's best friend is around, however, the child is better able to shrug off the negative event.
The research is important for a couple reasons. First, because it shows that when your best friend is around, you (as a child) benefit immediately in the exact instant that you are experiencing stress. So it's not just long-term benefits, or general positive feelings, you experience, but those on a day by day basis that help you deal with the ups and downs of growing up.
The other reason this is important is because, as Bukowski says, "If we build up feelings of low self-worth during childhood, this will translate directly into how we see ourselves as adults." Even more reason to teach children and adults about the importance of friendship.
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