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…

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…

This study examines several aspects of adolescents' pretransition peer relationships as predictors of their adjustment to middle school. Participants were 365 students (175 boys; 99% Caucasian) involved in the Time 1 (the spring of fifth grade) and Time 2 (the fall of sixth grade) assessments. Adolescents completed measures that assessed peer…

This study examined differences in self-concept among Jordanian students with and without learning disabilities. The sample of this study consisted of (124), (50) students with learning disabilities and (74) of their peers without learning disabilities. To achieve the objective of this study, the Jordanian adaptation of the Piers-Harris Children's…

In a longitudinal study that followed children from fourth through sixth grades, we tested whether problems in children's peer relations preceded psychological maladjustment and whether adjustment difficulties paved the way for poor social relationships. Both close friendships and peer group acceptance were examined. Our findings indicated that…

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…