Friendship quality, self-esteem, and emotional literacy in children with and without a migration background

This study comparatively examines the friendship quality, self-esteem, and emotional literacy of children with and without a migration background. The participants consisted of 828 primary school children aged 8 to 10, including 428 children with a migration background and 400 children without one. Data were collected using the Rosenberg Scale to assess self-esteem in children, the friendship quality scale, and the emotional literacy scale. The analyses used correlation analysis, t-tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between self-esteem, friendship quality, and emotional literacy in both groups. However, children without a migration background scored significantly higher in self-esteem, friendship quality, and emotional literacy compared to their peers with a migration background. Furthermore, emotional literacy (individual and social-emotional processes) strongly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and friendship quality in both groups. Our findings expand our understanding of children with and without a migration background.