Peer Status and Friendship as Predictors of Children`s School Adjustment
Un Hai Rhee,Jung Yoon Kim,Won Jung Oh
Abstract
Peer status, friendship, and school adjustment were measured for 326 third and fourth graders (171 boys, 155 girls). School adjustment was assessed by academic performance, and social behaviors were rated by teachers while attitudes toward school were reported by children. Examination of the relative contributions of peer status and friendship to school adjustment revealed both unique and joint explanations. Children`s academic performance was mainly explained by peer status; popular children had higher performance than rejected children. Attitudes toward school were more positive for children who reported higher friendship quality. Prosocial behaviors were higher for the popular group and for children with more stable reciprocal friends; aggressive behaviors were higher for the rejected group and competitive children with close friends; withdrawal behaviors were higher for the neglected group and children with few reciprocal friends.
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