Prior research links need for approval (NFA; the extent to which self-worth is contingent on peer approval or disapproval) to critical developmental outcomes, but little is known about how NFA develops over time or within social contexts. To address this gap, the present study used a sophisticated analytic approach (autoregressive latent…

This mixed-method study examines students' expectations and concerns before transitioning from primary to lower secondary school and the role of students' school-related wellbeing and self-esteem in their concerns. Students reported their beliefs about the forthcoming school transition and filled in a questionnaire assessing school burnout and…

Background: Refugee children might have experienced violent and traumatic events before settling into a new country. In the United Kingdom, the number of refugee children is increasing; however, little is known about their psycho-social and physical well-being. Aim: This study aims to investigate the psychological well-being and behaviour of…

The present study investigated (1) how social relationships with teachers and peers and self-esteem of students with social-emotional and behavioral difficulties (SEBD) in inclusive regular education (regular schools) and students with SEBD in exclusive special education (special schools) develop over time in comparison with each other and in…

The present study examines the associations between peer acceptance and friendship with loneliness, self-esteem and school engagement in a sample of 180 primary school pupils (M age = 10.94 years old, SD = 0.82, age range: 9-12 years). Peer acceptance was evaluated through a sociometric procedure, the number of children's mutual friendships…

Background: The aim of the present study was to conduct a preliminary empirical evaluation of the KooLKIDS program, a school-based intervention that utilises a combination of whole-of-class and individual sessions for young children with early onset antisocial behaviour. Method: Trained facilitators delivered the 13-session program to a completer…

Little is known about factors other than students' abilities and background variables that shape teachers' achievement expectations. This study was aimed at investigating the role of teachers' perceptions of students attributes (working habits, popularity, self-confidence, student--teacher relationships, and classroom behavior) in shaping…

The author investigated the role of individual characteristics (self-esteem, social anxiety, and self-reported classroom participation) and peer reactions (peer-perceived shyness, peer nominations) in classroom loneliness in a sample of 704 preadolescent boys (360) and girls (344). It was hypothesized that classroom participation functions as a…

Changes in feelings of self-worth and peer acceptance associated with self-enhancing perceptions of their peer acceptance were examined for a normative sample and for a group of peer-rejected children. Whether the correlates of self-enhancement differed as a function of the way in which perceptions were assessed (i.e., general versus specific…

This study examined influences of gender identity on change in preadolescents' adjustment over time. In each of two successive years, three measures of gender identity (felt gender typicality, contentment with gender assignment, and felt pressure for gender conformity) and four measures of adjustment (self-esteem, internalizing symptoms,…

Objective: This evaluative study assessed the effect of a creative expression program designed to prevent emotional and behavioral problems and to enhance self-esteem in immigrant and refugee children attending multiethnic schools. Method: The 12-week program involved 138 children, aged 7 to 13, registered in both integration classes designed for…