Peer Nominations Research Articles

Latent Profiles of Students at Social-Emotional Risk: Heterogeneity Among Peer-Rejected Students in Early Elementary School

A latent profile analysis was applied to explore heterogeneity in the social and classroom behaviors of 224 peer-rejected elementary school students (56% White, 68% male, Grades 1–4, M age = 8.1 years). Profile indicators included teacher ratings of social skills and problem behaviors on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) and peer nominations of prosocial, aggressive, and withdrawn behavior. Four profiles emerged. Two profiles where characterized by elevated externalizing problems by peer and teacher report, one with multiple co-occurring difficulties (multiproblem, 21% of the sample) and one characterized primarily by aggression (domineering, 32% of the sample). Another profile was characterized by deficits in social skills and viewed by teachers as internalizing and disruptive (internalizing-dysregulated, 26% of the sample.) The final profile was nondistinct on teacher ratings but defined by low rates of prosocial behavior by peers (teacher preferred, 21% of the sample.) Group comparisons revealed that students in the multiproblem and internalizing-dysregulated profile classes had lower-quality relationships with teachers and more academic difficulties than students in the other two profile classes. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for identifying peer-rejected students for Tier 2 interventions and tailoring those interventions to enhance impact.

Self-Esteem Moderates the Relationship Between Secure Attachment and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Preadolescence.

This longitudinal study examined the interactive effects of secure attachment and self-esteem on change in internalizing and externalizing problems in a sample of preadolescents. 407 youth (Mage = 11.1years) completed measures of self-esteem, secure attachment style, and peer nomination inventories tapping internalizing and externalizing problems at the beginning of the fourth and fifth grades. Results suggest that internalizing and externalizing problems may be reduced for securely attached youth with high self-esteem. Implications for future research are examined, along with a discussion on clinical applications of studies involving interaction effects.

Staff-perceived social status and social skills of students with intellectual disabilities in special needs schools

An individuals’ social status in the classroom is of major concern in students’ social and academic development. The present study attempted to examine the staff-perceived proportion of students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in special needs schools classified sociometrically as accepted, rejected, neglected, controversial, or average, and the ways in which students with ID in different sociometric status groups differ in terms of their social skills. School staff reported on the social skills and social status of 1,068 students with ID (M = 11.98 years, SD = 3.74; 31.5% female) in special needs schools. While some results mirrored those seen among typically developing students in studies using peer nominations, school staff reports suggest that there appear to be many students with ID in special needs schools who are considered neglected. Moreover, students classified as accepted and rejected had significantly higher and lower social skills, respectively, than average students. These results provide an initial exploration of the role of staff-perceived sociometric status groups and their association with social skills in special needs schools.

Effects of Bystander's Emotional Empathy and Social Problem-Solving Skills on Defending Behaviors Against Bullying in Elementary School: Mediated Through Peer Acceptance

Objectives: Many children are exposed to their peers being bullied, which negatively impacts individuals and the society as a whole. We investigated the effects of elementary school children’s emotional empathy and social problem-solving skills on their defending behaviors. We evaluated the direct and indirect effects of these personal characteristics, mediated through their perceived peer acceptance among classmates. Gender differences were also tested.Methods: The study participants were 386 fourth- and fifth-graders (<i>M</i> = 10.4 yrs.) from six elementary schools in the metropolitan Seoul area of South Korea. Children’s perceived social acceptance, emotional empathy, and problem-solving skills were measured using self-reported questionnaires. Defending behavior was measured using peer nomination. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were conducted using SPSS 21.0 and MPLUS 6.12.Results: Bystanders‘ emotional empathy and social problem-solving skills had significant effects on defending behaviors. Social problem-solving skills directly affected defending behaviors of boys and girls. Girls’ peer acceptance mediated both emotional empathy and social problem-solving skills for defending behaviors, while no mediation effect was found in boys.Conclusion: For children, feeling accepted by classmates is important for defending bullied peers. For girls, peer acceptance magnifies their socio-emotional and socio-cognitive skills, empowering them to defend the bullied peers. However, for boys, having competent socio-cognitive skills alone is sufficient. Based on this study’s findings, it is recommended that interventions are needed to enhance bystanders’ emotional empathy and social problem-solving skills, and thereby, empowering them to be competent defenders against school bullying.

Longitudinal relations between social avoidance, academic achievement, and adjustment in Chinese children

The goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of academic achievement in the longitudinal relations between social avoidance and socioemotional adjustment in Chinese children. Participants were N = 578 children (Mage = 11.24 years, SD = 1.33 years) attending public schools in Shanghai, P.R. China. We assessed motivations for social withdrawal, academic achievement, and peer problems via self-reports, peer nominations, and school records. Among the results, social avoidance (positively) and academic achievement (negatively) uniquely and significantly predicted later feelings of loneliness, peer problems, and lower peer acceptance. Moreover, academic achievement significantly moderated the relations between social avoidance and later peer problems (but not loneliness or peer acceptance). The current findings suggest that although social avoidance poses unique developmental risk over time, academic achievement may serve as a protective factor against peer difficulties among Chinese youth. We discuss the results in terms of the implications of social avoidance and academic achievement in Chinese culture.

Trajectory Classes of Relational and Physical Bullying Victimization: Links with Peer and Teacher-Student Relationships and Social-Emotional Outcomes

Bullying victimization is a prevalent problem in upper elementary school that predicts various detrimental outcomes. Increasing evidence suggests that interindividual differences in the severity of these outcomes result from differences in victimization experiences. However, longitudinal research largely overlooked victimization forms. Additionally, it is unclear how the quality of students' relationships with peers and teachers functions as a risk or protective factor for different patterns of victimization development. This one-year longitudinal study investigated joint trajectories of relational and physical victimization and examined differences between these trajectory classes regarding classroom social relationships as possible antecedents and social-emotional well-being as a possible outcome. A sample of 930 fourth to sixth graders (55 classes, 53.1% girls, Mage = 10.55, SD = 0.90) completed self-reports about relational and physical victimization and social-emotional outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-esteem). Peer nominations were used to measure the social antecedents (i.e., peer rejection and acceptance, teacher-student closeness and conflict). A 3-step approach including Latent Class Growth Analyses and Growth Mixture Modeling yielded two trajectory classes. Most students experienced low, decreasing relational and physical victimization. A smaller group experienced higher, generally stable victimization, more relational than physical. Younger students and girls were more likely to be members of the latter class. This class was more rejected, less accepted, reported more depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem. Teacher-student closeness and conflict were similar across classes. The current study showed that relational and physical victimization followed a largely parallel development. Low social status was found to be a risk factor for belonging to a victimization trajectory that is characterized by stable levels of both relational and physical victimization, with higher levels of the relational form.

Cheering my friends up: The unique role of Interpersonal emotion regulation strategies in social competence

A systematic investigation has been lacking regarding children’s deliberate regulation of others’ emotions which is labeled interpersonal emotion regulation (ER). Based on a theoretically derived model of Interpersonal Affect Classification, we examined children’s interpersonal ER strategy use in the peer group. Participants were 398 fourth and fifth grade children from the Midwestern United States. Children rated themselves regarding their use of intrapersonal and interpersonal ER strategies as well as attention to friends’ emotions. Teacher-report and peer nominations were used to assess social competence regarding prosocial behavior and emotion sharing. Awareness of and attention to friends’ emotions were positively and more strongly associated with interpersonal ER than intrapersonal ER. Children reported affective engagement most strongly followed by humor, cognitive engagement, and attention to improve friends’ feelings. Among the four interpersonal ER strategies, only affective engagement was uniquely associated with social competence; intrapersonal ER was not associated with social competence. The findings support the significance of broadening the focus of ER to the interpersonal domain to promote the development of children’s ER and social competence.

Reciprocal associations between teacher-student relations and students' externalizing behavior in elementary education? A within-dyad analysis

The goal of this study was to investigate the transactional link between the affective quality of teacher-student relations and students' externalizing behavior in upper elementary education. We studied teacher support and conflict separately and examined whether associations differed for boys and girls. Data were collected from 1452 Dutch fifth graders (Mage = 10.60 years) at three time points within one school year, including peer nominations of teacher-student relationships and external observations of teacher-student interactions. We used random-intercept cross-lagged panel models to examine the associations within the school year. Student behavior and teacher conflict and support were clearly interrelated within measurement moments. That is, within each time point, deviations from students' typical level of externalizing behavior were associated with deviations in teacher conflict and support in teacher-student relations. In contrast to earlier work, we found no transactional link between students' externalizing behavior and their relationships and interactions with their teacher over time, neither for teacher conflict nor for support. However, for boys, an association was found between externalizing behavior and later increased teacher conflict. We concluded that it remains important to invest in supportive teacher-student relations to prevent increasing conflict and that transactionality may occur within shorter time intervals.

Competencies for entry-level rural and remote physiotherapy practice: a Delphi approach.

Rural physiotherapy is a challenging area of practice that requires clinicians to respond to the unique factors that contribute to rurality. This study aimed to outline an introductory set of competencies that contribute to effective physiotherapy practice in rural Australia. A three-round Delphi study was undertaken using a panel of expert physiotherapists. The panel was asked to provide open-ended responses to the following question: 'What unique knowledge, skills, abilities, attributes or other characteristics do physiotherapists need to possess, or learn in order to provide effective physiotherapy specifically in a rural or remote setting?' These responses were then thematically analysed to create competencies. The competencies were evaluated in the subsequent rounds by the Delphi panel. Consensus was set at 80%. Rural and remote experts were determined through criteria including duration of practice, established expert frameworks, and self- or peer nomination. The publicly accessible Australian Physiotherapy Association database was used to access the contact details of 222 physiotherapists working in rural and remote locations across all Australian states and territories. Seventeen expert physiotherapists met inclusion criteria and consented to participation. Seventeen expert physiotherapists completed round one with a 100% response rate. Analysis of the expert panel responses yielded an initial 24 competencies. The second round had a response rate of 94.1%, and the third round 93.8%. A final set of 19 competencies was established. The knowledge, skills and attributes featured in the competencies relate to responsivity to rural locality, adapting to individual community needs and problem solving in response to challenges to practising in rural and remote locations. This study has introduced a set of competencies that may contribute towards effective physiotherapy practice in the rural setting. The competencies provide a common language for physiotherapists and their employers, and may be used to guide training or mentorship in this setting.

Brief Research Report: Agreement Between Teacher and Student Reports on Students’ Acceptance and Rejection

Student-reported peer nominations are typically used to obtain information on the social status (i.e., acceptance and rejection) of students in their classrooms. However, under certain circumstances this assessment method cannot be used, for example for logistical reasons or with students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who are not always able to fill out peer nominations. In such instances, teacher reports on students’ expected nominations may serve as a proxy. As part of a larger study on students with ID, we evaluated the agreement between teachers’ and students’ peer reports regarding individual students’ acceptance and rejection using unlimited nomination procedures in Grades 4–6 mainstream classrooms. As many students with ID cannot fill out peer nominations, this evaluation study used a sample of typically developing students without ID. Teachers (n = 27, Mage = 34.24 years, SD = 10.85; 85.2% female) nominated all peers from the classroom who they believed individual students would report as “liked” and “not liked”. For direct comparison, students (n = 441, Mage = 11.36 years, SD = 0.89; 46.8% female) themselves were also asked to report their “liked” and “not liked” nominations. Students received both more “liked” and more “not liked” nominations from their peers than from their teachers. Students’ social status as calculated from teacher reports showed only partial agreement with social status as calculated from student reports, suggesting that in mainstream classrooms student reports cannot be easily replaced by teacher reports. Perspectives on the application of teacher-reported peer nominations in special needs settings are discussed.

A Comparison of Parent, Teacher, and Youth Ratings on the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits.

The current study compared the validity of self-, parent-, and teacher-report versions of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU), a widely used measure of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, at several different ages. Participants (N = 236, 60.6% girls) were children in Grades 3, 6, and 8 (Mage = 11.55, SD = 2.23) from a public school system in the southern United States. We tested the association of all three ICU versions with several validators: parent- and teacher-reported conduct problems, peer nominations of characteristics associated with CU traits, and sociometric peer nominations of social preference. Results revealed an interaction between the ICU version and grade in the overall level of CU traits reported, with teacher-report leading to the highest ratings in sixth grade and being higher than parent-report in third grade. Furthermore, the validity of the different versions of the ICU varied somewhat across grades. Specifically, findings support the validity of both teacher- and self-report in third grade, but self-report was the only version to show strong validity in the eighth grade.

Maternal encouragement of sociability and adjustment in nonmigrant and migrant children in urban China.

This 1-year longitudinal study examined the relations between maternal encouragement of sociability and social, school, and psychological adjustment in nonmigrant (n = 355, Mage = 9.90 years) and migrant children (n = 248, Mage = 9.95 years) in urban China. Data were obtained from multiple sources, including mothers' reports, peer nominations, teacher ratings, and child self-reports. The results showed that maternal encouragement of sociability negatively contributed to later loneliness in nonmigrant children, but not in migrant children. Moreover, among nonmigrant children, maternal encouragement of sociability was negatively associated with later behavioral problems for those who had higher initial behavioral problems, and positively associated with later perceived self-worth for those with higher initial self-worth. Among migrant children, the maternal encouragement of sociability was positively associated with later peer victimization and learning problems for those who had higher initial problems. The results indicate that maternal encouragement of sociability may function differently in the nonmigrant and migrant family contexts in China. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

아동의 교사선호 및 또래선호에 따른 군집별 사회적 행동과 심리사회적 특성에서의 차이

The purpose of this research was to investigate the clusters of children`s teacher and peer preference. Moreover, differences in social behaviors and psychosocial adjustment were examined among the clusters. The participants were 521 elementary school children, namely, 282 males and 239 females. Children completed peer nominations which assessed peer preference, victimization and social behaviors. Also, psychosocial adjustment was measured based on children’s report and teachers rated teacher preference. Results revealed three distinct clusters. There were significant differences in social behaviors and psychosocial adjustment among the three clusters. Based on the results of this research, intervention strategies were made.

Adolescents who are nonusers of fashionable social networking platforms

Social media use is central to the organization of adolescent peer groups. Nonetheless, a small percentage of youth report that they do not have an active presence on any of the social networking platforms that are commonly accessed by their peers. The current study examines the academic and social functioning of this under investigated subgroup. We recruited 376 adolescents (M = 14.4 years of age; 209 girls) from an ethnically diverse urban high school. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing digital communication tendencies. A peer nomination inventory was used to index social reputations and reciprocated friendships. In addition, achievement data were obtained from school records. Forty-eight adolescents (12 girls) reported that they did not use any the social networking platforms that were in vogue with their peers (i.e., Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter). Our findings presented a mixed picture regarding the adjustment of these youth. Compared to their classmates, nonusers of fashionable social networks were less popular and had fewer friends. On the other hand, nonusers were relatively high achieving and tended to establish a small number of friendships with academically high achieving peers.

Civic Development within the Peer Context: Associations between Early Adolescent Social Connectedness and Civic Engagement.

Social connectedness is theorized to contribute to civic development and in turn, civic engagement is thought to cultivate social connectedness. Little research has examined how social connectedness is linked with early adolescent civic engagement. The current study used a social network research design to examine associations between early adolescent social connectedness via their position within their peer network and their civic engagement. Middle-school students (N = 213) aged 11-15 years (M = 12.5; 57% female) were recruited from a remote US community and provided nominations for peer connections and reported on multiple aspects of civic engagement. Early adolescents who had identified more peer nominations had higher civic efficacy. Youth who had fewer connections with different peer groups and fewer connections with popular peers were more engaged in political behavior. Greater popularity was associated with higher political engagement for boys, but not girls. Greater connections with different peer groups was associated with greater environmentalism for younger but not older teens. These findings highlight the need to consider adolescent civic development within the peer context.

Longitudinal Relations between Rejection Sensitivity and Adjustment in Chinese Children: Moderating Effect of Emotion Regulation

The goal of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of emotion regulation in the longitudinal relations between rejection sensitivity and indices of adjustment among Chinese children. Participants were N = 590 children (M age = 11.25 years, SD = 1.33) attending public elementary and middle schools in Shanghai, P.R. China. Measures of anxious rejection sensitivity and socio-emotional functioning were collected via self-reports and peer nominations. Among the results, rejection sensitivity significantly predicted higher levels of later internalizing problems. Moreover, emotion regulation significantly moderated (i.e. buffering effect) the relations between rejection sensitivity and later peer and emotional difficulties. The current findings suggest that rejection sensitivity poses developmental risk over time, but emotion regulation may serve as a protective factor for Chinese youth. Results are discussed in terms of the implications of rejection sensitivity and emotion regulation in Chinese culture.

Association Between Dynamic Parasympathetic Reactivity to Frustration and Children's Social Success with Peers in Kindergarten.

The inability to regulate affective arousal in the context of frustration may jeopardize children's ability to form successful friendships, especially as new peer groups are formed during the transition to kindergarten. While substantial research has utilized teacher reports of children's socioemotional behavior, there is less empirical evidence on the peer perspective. The present study utilized data from n = 235 kindergarteners (54% high in disruptive behavior) recruited for a multicomponent intervention. We examined whether physiological reactivity to frustration was associated with children's social success. Peer nominations of liking or disliking to play with the child were used to compute a social preference score, where negative values reflect greater rejection than acceptance. Multilevel growth modeling was employed to capture changes in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity across a manipulated inhibitory control task administered in 3 blocks, with differing algorithms embedded to induce affect: points were earned in the 1stand 3rdblocks (reward) and lost during the 2ndblock (frustration). Groups did not differ in RSA reactivity during the 1stblock, but children who experience greater peer rejection showed significant decreases in RSA (increases in arousal) across frustration. This increased arousal persisted across the 3rdblock despite the reinstatement of reward, indicating a greater degree of reactivity and a lack of recovery relative to peer-accepted children. Teacher screenings of disruptive behavior only partially aligned with peer ratings of acceptance, highlighting the benefits of leveraging peer report to capture regulatory functioning and identify children for intervention recruitment.

Changes in behavioral correlates of social status during early adolescence: Does school context matter?

This study investigated the role of school context in changes in the behaviors associated with having high social status during early adolescence. Three waves of surveys were collected from students (N = 542, 53% girls; 44% Black, 44% White, 5% Hispanic/Latinx, and 7% other; 60% free/reduced-fee lunch) in the middle of their sixth, seventh, and eighth grade school years. Peer nominations were used to assess two types of social status (peer acceptance and popularity) and three behavioral reputations (academic, prosocial, and physical aggression). Approximately half of the students made a transition from an elementary school to a larger middle school after sixth grade and the other half attended the same school from kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8). Across time and school configurations, students who were well-liked were perceived to be academically oriented, prosocial, and not physically aggressive. In contrast, the reputations of popular students differed in the two school configurations. In the K-8 context, popularity became increasingly associated with academic and prosocial behavior, and less characterized by physical aggression over time. In the transition context, popularity was associated with academic and prosocial behavior in elementary school, but these associations were null upon the transition to middle school in seventh grade. When students moved into eighth grade, popular students were increasingly academically oriented. In the transition group, popularity was also characterized by physical aggression at all three grades. Findings highlighted the significance of school context for the development of popularity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Loneliness and Social Functioning in Adolescent Peer Victimization.

Interpersonal adversity such as peer victimization has been shown to have complex associations with other socio-emotional difficulties, particularly during adolescence. We used a multidimensional peer nomination measure on a sample of 440 (52% girls) 11- to 17-year-old (M = 13.14 years, SD = 1.26) Portuguese youths to identify three groups, classified by peers as (1) victimized adolescents who showed anxious withdrawn behaviors in the context of the peer group (n = 111), (2) victimized adolescents who did not exhibit anxious withdrawn behaviors (n = 104), and (3) non-victimized adolescents (n = 225). We compared these groups on their peer-reported social functioning and on their self-reported feelings of social and emotional loneliness (with peers and family). Anxiously withdrawn victims were viewed by peers as more excluded, less aggressive, less prosocial, and less popular than non-withdrawn victims and non-victims. Non-anxiously withdrawn victims were considered more excluded than non-victims, and more aggressive than both anxiously withdrawn victims and non-victims. Finally, anxiously withdrawn victims reported feeling less integrated and intimate with their peers than non-withdrawn victims and non-victims, which is indicative of greater feelings of social and emotional loneliness at school. Youths in the current study did not report feeling lonely in their family environment. Our findings thus provide further evidence that victimized youths constitute a heterogeneous group, which differ in the way they behave toward their peers and experience loneliness.

Off on the wrong foot: Task avoidance at the outset of primary school anticipates academic difficulties and declining peer acceptance

ABSTRACT The present study examined the academic antecedents of declining peer social status. Participants included 545 (311 boys, 234 girls) Finnish students followed from the 1st through the 4th grade (ages 6–8 at outset). Each year, teachers completed assessments of academic task avoidance and students completed standardized measures of reading and math achievement. Acceptance was assayed through peer nominations. Supporting the hypothesized model, the results indicated that a lack of interest and motivation at the outset of primary school leads to a downward spiral of academic difficulties and diminished peer acceptance. Specifically, academic task avoidance in 1st and 2nd grade anticipated declining math and reading achievement one year later, which in turn, anticipated decreases in peer acceptance the following year. The findings held after controlling for factors known to contribute to school and peer difficulties, such as friendlessness, school readiness, and emotional and behavioural problems.