This study aims to examine the ways in which close friendships can help individuals develop psychological resilience, enabling them to cope with difficult events in their lives.

Social support is generally recognised as important to helping people deal with difficult life events, but the psychological processes behind this are still poorly understood. Close friendships, in particularly, have not been studied in as much detail as, say, family relationships.

There is, then, a need for further research about how adults and young people gain support from each other, about events which are distressing to them.

This study aims to address this issue. It does this through two ways: (1) a questionnaire looking at friendship, support, and how participants deal with difficult events in their lives; and (2) interviews with selected participants that explore their experiences in more detail.

This questionnaire is taken in two parts, 7-10 months apart, so that we can track changes over time and better untangle the complex relationship between support and developing resilience. Most of the questionnaire items are multiple-choice, with some free-text items which will allow you to tell us about your friendships. There are no 'correct' answers - the questionnaire is designed to tell us something about your experiences.

The interview takes place between the two time points of the questionnaire. About 2 dozen participants will be invited to interview. Like in the questionnaire, there are no 'correct' answers - the interview is just about participants' experiences of close friendships and dealing with difficult events. The interviews will be digitally audio-recorded, and will be completely anonymous so that nothing is ever published to reveal the participants' identity. The interviews are also confidential, so that no one other than the researchers and their assistants can hear the participants' interview (unless the researchers believe the participant or other people to be in danger of serious harm).

Adults who participated in the first time point of the questionnaire study were invited to provide their email address in order to enter into a prize draw for one of five vouchers for £25 from Amazon.co.uk and to enable them to participate in the later phases of the research project. This email address will never be given to anyone else and will only be used for the research project. Winners of the prize draw will be announced very soon. The second time point of the questionnaire study will begin in 2011.

This project has received ethical approval from the Institute of Psychological Sciences - for more information please click here.

There are many potential applications of this study. Our general aim to provide an evidence base supporting the development of high-quality, psychologically-informed community-based programmes, peer support programmes, anti-bullying policies (in schools, community organisations and workplaces), and care programmes for vulnerable persons. For example, the Access Academy at the University of Leeds, which aims to raise students' aspiration and achievement by providing academic and pastoral support, has expressed its support for the project and looks forward to incorporating findings into its work supporting schools throughout Leeds and West Yorshire. The project is also working with the council-run Community Alternatives Team, a client-centred group which seeks to promote social inclusion and provide support for people who have experienced mental health difficulties.