She's your BFF, best friend forever, and she can finish your sentences and discern your moods immediately.

In times of crisis, she's always there, and you are a lessstressed person for it.

Now there's scientific proof of that, thanks to a study done by Concordia University's director of research into human development.

"We've long studied the effects of friendship on the behaviour and emotional well-being of children and we wanted to see if the HPA axis (hypothalamic, pituitary and adrenal systems) varied (under stress) when a friend is with you," said William Bukowski of his study published in the journal Developmental Psychology.

If a child is alone when he or she gets into trouble, there is a measurable increase in levels of a coping hormone and a decrease in feelings of self-worth, Bukowski said.

A group of schoolchildren, in Grades 5 and 6, were given journals to record their feelings and had their saliva tested four times a day for four consecutive days.

For privacy reasons, Bukowski would not reveal which school the children attended, but said they came from all walks of life.

They were tested and questioned before school, right after recess, after lunch and after school, the classic schoolyard periods outside of class time when bullying or hassling are most prevalent.

When the body is stressed, the adrenal glands produce cortisol, a hormone that metabolizes sugar to provide energy for the flight or fight reaction.

Bukowski and his team looked for levels of cortisol in the children as an indicator of stress levels.

Bukowski's participants who were with their best friends showed lower levels of the hormone during stressful situations.

"We knew what the experiences the kids were having through their journals, so we could monitor the cortisol levels of both positive and negative experiences," he said.

The researchers found no discernible gender difference between boys and girls and their best friends.

"We chose kids in Grades 5 and 6 because friendships are very important at this age and the child is developing the emotional patterns that will continue through adolescence," Bukowski said.

Besides handling stress, having a best friend is very good training for all that life has to offer, teaching children to take into account the needs of others and not to be selfish, Bukowski said.

"If you want to help your child, teach them to be a good friend."

asutherland@ montrealgazette.com twitter.com/sutherlandanne

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