In this paper we consider discourses of friendship and belonging mobilised by girls who are not part of the dominant "cool" group in one English primary school. We explore how, by investing in alternative and, at times, resistant, discourses of "being nice" and "being normal" these "non-cool" girls were able…

Children are increasingly using computer technologies to engage in acts of aggression against peers, often termed "cyber aggression". Media reports have sensationalized instances of cyber aggression, and social scientists have begun to examine its characteristics and consequences. Using a younger sample of children than most previous research (192…

This study examined reciprocal friendship and peer acceptance in eight children with specific language impairment (SLI) in regular elementary classrooms. Three of the children were less well accepted than typical peers and five children reported no reciprocal friendships. Suggestions for facilitating friendships in children with SLI are offered.…

The effects of three treatments on third- and fourth-grade socially isolated children were compared. The treatments were: (1) playing games with peers accompanied by adult coaching in social skills relative to friendship making, (2) playing games with peers, and (3) playing solitary games in the presence of peers. (Author/JMB)

This study evaluated the Circle of Friends intervention approach with 20 children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, ages 6 to 12 years, and their nondisabled classmates. The intervention appeared to have positive effects on social acceptance by classmates, but few changes were obtained on other measures of perceptions or behavior.…

Investigates the nature of children's self-reported recess problems and the degree to which these were correlated with children's peer acceptance and mutual friendships. Modest relations were reported between inclusion recess problems and children's mutual friendships and peer acceptance. Results suggest that self-reported recess problems are a…

Examined the relations among strategy knowledge about making friends, prosocial and antisocial behavior, and peer acceptance at school in a sample of 423 sixth and seventh graders. Findings indicated that knowledge of both appropriate and inappropriate strategies for making friends was related to both types of social behavior and to peer…

The effects of a friendship awareness activity on frequency and type of social interactions between elementary students with mental retardation and their nonhandicapped peers were evaluated. Results indicated that the one-time friendship awareness activity was inadequate to produce changes in social interactions. (Author/DB)

The study involving 332 elementary students found learning disabled students to be less accepted than nonhandicapped children, but attitudes toward LD were more positive than toward other handicaps. Attitudes of fourth-grade students were less positive than those of younger and older students. (Author/CL)

A teacher recounts his work to help a troubled child (who was causing classroom disturbances) learn to make friends and gain peer acceptance. (CB)

The study examined the social relations of 23 third-grade children with learning disabilities (LD) and 154 without LD. LD children were less accepted but not more rejected by peers than nonLD children. Significant group differences in friendship concepts and levels of reasoning about friendship and conflict resolution were also found. (Author/DB)

This study investigated play behaviors in 30 pairs of children with and without disabilities. Children without disabilities perceived children with disabilities as playmates, but noted that limitations in communication and behavior problems made it difficult to maintain fuller friendship. (Contains references.) (Author/PB)

The concurrent and predictive validity of four qualitative behavioral classes of social interaction (initiating and receiving positive and negative social interaction) was investigated using sociometric measures of peer acceptance (ratings) and friendship (nominations). Forty children (18 boys and 22 girls) selected from 14 third- and fourth-grade…

In this study, each of 33 middle class children from grades 3 and 4 was administered one of three experimental conditions designed to test in what ways coaching in social play skills improves the sociometric status of the children with their peers. The subjects were selected because of their low ratings on sociometric questionnaires. Condition 1…

Investigated the effect of similarity and reciprocity on dyadic friendship choices in third- and sixth-grade students. Reciprocal (mutual) friendships were more similar in proximity, popularity, and self-concept than those in nonreciprocal (nonmutual) dyads. Results are discussed in relation to the interpersonal attraction theories. (Author/DST)