Children of inductive parents, or those rated low in their use of power assertive discipline, exhibited fewer disruptive playground behaviors than other children. Daughters of inductive mothers exhibited more prosocial behavior than other children. Children of inductive mothers were preferred to other children by peers. (BC)

Heterogeneity in 8- to 10-year-old girls who were rejected by their peers was investigated. Cluster analysis revealed two groups, the more deviant being characterized by withdrawal, anxiety, and low academic functioning. Aggression did not differentiate the two groups. (BC)

Three studies examine the relationship of rejection sensitivity measured on the Children's Rejection Sensitivity Questionnaire to individual differences in response to peers' social rejection in urban, minority fifth to seventh graders. Found that rejection-sensitive children behaved more aggressively and experienced increased interpersonal…

Obtains standardized parent and teacher behavior ratings of neglected and rejected 8- to 11-year-old boys and girls. No age or sex differences were found. Rejected children were found to exhibit more behavior problems on both scales than neglected, popular, or average children. (Author/AS)

Two studies examined relationships of the number of reciprocated friendships, peer acceptance, and group membership to academic achievement in two samples of sixth graders. Found that group membership was the most consistent predictor of grades over time. Longitudinal analyses found that peer relationships were related indirectly to classroom…

Surveyed fourth-, seventh-, and tenth-graders in Japan and the United States regarding evaluations of peer group exclusion of atypical peers. Found that with increasing age, children demonstrated sensitivity to context (reason the peer was different) and believed that the excluded child should not change to be accepted. Girls were less willing to…

Second and third grade guests were observed while they tried to join peer hosts who were playing a game. Females guests were less obtrusive than male guests in their entries, and males guests were more assertive. Guests were less constrained when approaching same-sex than opposite-sex hosts. Female hosts were more attentive to guests than were…

Examines the ethnic, age, and gender playmate perferences of deaf and hearing preschoolers who were observed during outdoor free play at their respective schools over a 7-month period. Hispanic, black, and white children were included. (HOD)

Results showed that third- through eighth-grade children's favored peer status was related to high levels of both interpersonal understanding and perceived social self-competence, with the relationship between peer acceptance and interpersonal understanding being stronger for older than for younger children. (Author/MP)

Examined peer group contextual effects on relations between academic achievement and social functioning among Chinese 9-, 13-, and 16-year-olds. Found that peer groups were highly homogeneous on academic achievement. Academic achievement and social adjustment were associated at within-group individual and group levels. Group academic performance…

This study examined a model of emotional, cognitive, and behavior predictors of peer acceptance in 201 early elementary school students. Findings indicated that social skills mediated the effect of emotion knowledge on same- and opposite-sex social preference. However, social skills and verbal ability were more strongly related to opposite-sex…

Studied the relationship between academic performance and socially responsible behavior, sociometric status, goal setting, interpersonal trust, and problem solving in a sample of 423 sixth and seventh graders. Found that each aspect of social competence was related to students' grades. (BC)

Examined relationship between child behavior and peer preference from the person-group similarity and the social-skill models with 2,895 first graders. Found support for both predictive models, with the acceptability aggression and withdrawal varying across classrooms and the effects of inattentive/hyperactive behavior and prosocial behavior…

This study examined factors associated with relative stability of peer rejection among elementary school-aged children. Results of prospective and retrospective analyses suggested that perceived social status, participation in extracurricular activities, locus of control, and parental monitoring were all positively related to status improvement…

Investigated sociometric status, aggression, and gender differences in African American second-graders' expression of anger, happiness, and sadness during a competitive game. Found that rejected children expressed more facial and verbal anger than average-status children and more nonverbal happiness, but only during turns that were favorable to…