ABSTRACT
In an era of rapidly shifting social patterns, friendships have retained a stable and essential place in our notions of positive adult development. Yet despite their widely acknowledged role in individual growth and well-being (Tesch, 1983), the specific nature of this role, and even the nature of friendship itself, have been difficult to define. A descriptive framework for adult friendships and an analysis of how they contribute to individual well-being are two separate, if interrelated, issues (cf. Werner’s, 1940/1980, distinction between form and function). A descriptive base for different kinds of friendship is necessary to set the terms for exploring the role of friendship in our lives; the functions different friendship types serve in adult development impart meaning and significance to a descriptive typology.
