Grounding their efforts on results of previous research, investigators have sought to improve peer relationships of unpopular children through direct instruction in social skills. Generally, such interventions have been effective in promoting specific outcomes. For example, skill-training programs improve children's ability to form colleague…

Although considerable research exists on the behavioral characteristics of low-accepted children, few studies have examined gender differences in the types of behavior which distinguish between low-accepted children and their better-accepted classmates. This study examined the relative power, for each gender, of different behavioral…

Assessed feelings of loneliness of two subgroups of unpopular children, those sociometrically rejected and those sociometrically neglected. Data from 200 third through sixth graders indicated that rejected children were the most lonely group and differed significantly from other status groups. Neglected children did not differ from higher status…

Evaluates a method of identifying rejected elementary school children that involves the use of positive-nomination and rating scale measures. Shows rejected children can be identified with reasonable accuracy without administering a negative-nomination measure. (HOD)

A total of 881 third through fifth graders completed sociometric measures of acceptance and friendship, a measure of loneliness, a questionnaire on their best friends, and a measure of friendship satisfaction. Results indicated that, although many low-accepted children had satisfying friendships, they were less satisfying than the friendships of…

To determine whether Slaby and Guerra's (1988) measure of aggression would reliably assess younger children's belief about aggression and whether children's belief about the legitimacy of aggression relates to their self-reports of it and to their levels of aggression as evaluated by peers, 781 fourth and fifth graders were asked to complete an…

Obtained peer nominations, teacher reports, and self-reports for 423 sixth and seventh graders. Compared to sociometrically average status students, neglected students reported higher levels of motivation and were described by teachers as being more self-regulated, more prosocial, and better liked. Aggressive-rejected, but not submissive-rejected,…

The purposes of this study were to learn about: (1) ways of identifying children not accepted by their peers, (2) the behavioral correlates of peer acceptance, and (3) strategies of teaching social skills to isolated children. Sociometric assessment, behavioral observations, and teacher and peer interviews were obtained in eight 3rd-, 4th-, and…

This study examines whether behaviorally withdrawn children differ from aggressive and prosocial children in their attributional styles, social goals, and self-efficacy perceptions. Fourth and fifth-grade students (n=506) responded to a set of hypothetical situations involving ambiguous provocation. Specifically, they interpreted the protagonist's…