The relationship between children's social concerns and their social interaction strategies: differences between rejected and accepted boys

Abstract

AbstractIn this study involving 55 fourth and fifth grade boys, children's concerns in their peer interactions, their social interaction strategies, and the relationship between their concerns and strategies were examined. Compared to peer accepted boys, submissive rejected boys cared less about sustaining interactions with peers and aggressive rejected boys cared less about peers' feelings. Aggressive rejected boys, and rejected boys who were neither highly aggressive nor highly submissive, also suggested more aversive strategies for handling conflictual interpersonal situations than did accepted boys. Of particular interest is that this was true even when their concerns in those situations were similar to those of accepted boys. The implications of these findings for children's social competence are discussed.