The current study examined whether students' social goals might help explain why students with learning disabilities (LD) often have lower social status in school. Participants included 336 rural and ethnically diverse high school students (of whom 16 had a LD diagnosis). Participants reported on their social status, popularity goals, and social…

High school peer crowds are fundamental components of adolescent development with influences on short- and long-term life trajectories. This study provides the perspectives of contemporary college students regarding their recent high school social landscapes, contributing to current research and theory on the social contexts of high school. This…

The dramatic rise in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by a substantial increase in public school inclusion. A growing body of research supports the need for teachers proficient in evidence-based practices to support such students. One strategy involves using peer support networks like Circle of Friends (CoF)…

The dramatic rise in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is accompanied by a substantial increase in public school inclusion. A growing body of research supports the need for teachers proficient in evidence-based practices to support such students. One strategy involves using peer support networks like Circle of Friends (CoF)…

This study examines the effects of physical attractiveness and aggression on popularity among high school students. Previous work has found positive relationships between aggression and popularity and physical attractiveness and popularity. The current study goes beyond this work by examining the interactive effects of physical attractiveness and…

Self-determination theorists (SDT) argue that the satisfaction of the need for relatedness is essential for growth and well-being. However, the current research has yet to account for the unique ways in which adolescent males engage in behaviors to fulfill their need for relatedness within their peer groups. This qualitative study investigates…

Studies with adults of social dominance orientation (SDO), a preference for inequality among social groups, have found correlations with various prejudices and support for discriminatory practices. This study explores the construct among adolescents at an age when they are beginning to recognize the social groups in their environment, particularly…

The purpose of the present study was to examine how peer group processes of pressure and control and individual motivations for popularity would add to, and moderate the relationship between, childhood maltreatment and risky behavior in adolescence. A total of 1558 youth (804 girls) from three high schools in Ontario, Canada (M age = 15.02 years,…

This longitudinal study examined peer contagion of depressive symptoms over an 18-month interval within a sample of 100 11th-grade adolescents. Three types of peer contagion moderators were examined, including characteristics of adolescents (social anxiety, global self-worth), friends (level of friends' peer-perceived popularity), and the…

This study explored three aspects of peer group membership in adolescence: peer group affiliation, the importance of group membership, and a sense of peer group belonging. Each is considered in relationship to adolescents' behavior problems as measured by the Achenbach Youth Self-Report. Participants included an ethnically and socioeconomically…

This study identified and described adolescents' exclusion rules and how they were related to their real world exclusionary behaviours. Adolescents (N=682) were asked to provide (a) an account and rationale for excluding a peer who wanted to join their group; and (b) general rules for when exclusion was fair. A content analysis of the narratives…

Parents know adolescents can be cruel. They do not want their child rejected by peers. What is it like to be denigrated by one's middle school classmates? How common is a predatory anti-teacher peer culture in junior high school? Does it typically last into high school? How do peer norms of different crowds in a school get established? Who sets…