Cross-Ethnic Friendships in Schools Make Youths Feel Less Vulnerable, Assignment

Cross-Ethnic Friendships in Schools Make Youths Feel Less Vulnerable, Safer - Assignment Example It is important in any age, but it is especially important for teens. The psychological problems a child may face can result in serious conflict that can influence student’s study progress. In this situation a person can become lonely and this loneliness can influence his life greatly. It is necessary this issue should be analyzed properly. In the modern world psychological problems are closely connected with multicultural relations. This problem was depicted in the article under consideration. Analyzing primary and secondary sources we will try to prove that cross-ethnic environment is very beneficial for children. The number of researches has been devoted to the issue of cross-ethnic friendship in schools. Schools are the places, where the identity is formed. Here the children learn the main principals they will follow in their life, they learn how to communicate and how to behave. The work that was conducted in the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Groningen in the Netherland has revealed the interdependence between the concepts of friendship and vulnerability. Researches state: â€Å"we propose that cross-ethnic friendships might partly account for the relation between classroom ethnic diversity and perceived vulnerability. Forming friendships with classmates from different ethnic groups as classroom diversity increases (greater availability) can help ward off potential harassers from those groups as well as buffer the negative effects of peer harassment† (Graham & Munniksma, 2013, p. 2). It can be easily explained that the representatives of different cultures try to unite and organize communities, where they may feel safe. The professors, who work in the abovementioned universities underlined such cross-ethnic communications and friendship can bring only advantages to students. However, it is essential to take into account a great number of peculiarities. The school program and other facilities should be formed cons idering special characteristics of every ethnic group in order to make the study comfortable for them. Such approach can solve many problems connected with the education itself as far as with the psychological issues. The researchers emphasize that the cross-ethnic friendship is not a rare phenomenon today. It is enough to visit an ordinary American middle-school class to see the diversity. The studies have shown that the more diverse the class, the more protected the children are. It means they do not feel themselves vulnerable. Real friendship is not temporary issue, and certainly it should not be considered such. People who have real friends are lucky ones. Those who have friends are psychologically stable. Friendship provides the emotional security and some kind of shelter. The study reveals that person who has at least one friend is not so helpless, is more self-assured and not psychologically vulnerable. The interesting question arises on the matter of similarity and dissimila rity between the students who study in semi diverse class and those who study in multi diverse one. In the most cases people choose friends considering their special characteristics, like gender, ethnicity, the color of skin etc. Actually, this is the main reason of discrimination which arises in our society today. The next important issue is propinquity. â€Å"