Social involvement and friendships are important contributors to quality of life. Individuals with friends enjoy greater psychological well-being and have a greater sense of self-worth (Bagwell, Bender, Andreassi, Montarello, & Muller, 2005; Bukowski, Motzoi, & Meyer, 2009; Gupta & Korte, 1994; Voss, Markiewicz, & Doyle, 1999). Conversely, individuals who lack peer relationships experience loneliness, boredom, lower self-esteem, and negative mental health outcomes including depression and anxiety (Bagwell et. al., 2005; Carbery & Buhrmester, 1998; Orth, Robins, & Roberts, 2008; Whitehouse, Durkin, Jaquet, & Ziatas, 2009).
