Cross‐group friendships and psychological well‐being: A dual pathway through social integration and empowerment

This study investigated the associations between cross‐group friendships and psychological well‐being among a sample of physically disabled adults. A total of 269 disabled people (Mage = 39.13, SD = 13.80; 114 females, 152 males, 3 unknown) completed questionnaires including the quality of their friendships with non‐disabled people, perceived majority group's attitudes towards the minority group, collective self‐esteem, collective action tendencies, own outgroup attitudes, and psychological well‐being. Findings demonstrated that disabled people's cross‐group friendships were directly and indirectly associated with higher levels of psychological well‐being via two routes: one by promoting perceived majority attitudes which consequently led to more positive own outgroup attitudes (well‐being through social integration hypothesis) and the other by leading to higher levels of collective self‐esteem which enhanced collective action tendencies (well‐being through empowerment hypothesis). Findings offer important insights into the study of cross‐group friendships in relation to the psychological well‐being of stigmatized minority group members.