Longitudinal and developmental studies of process of changes in peer relations and social skills in children

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The main purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relations between stability in peer social status and consistency in behavioral characteristics in children. In the study 1, five status groups of popular, rejected, neglected, controversial and average children were compared to examine which status tend to continue over a 2-year period during early childhood. There were significant continuities of popular and rejected status.In the study 5, five status groups of young children were traced from one year to five years later, after children had transferred from kindergarten to elementary school. It was found that status of popular and rejected children continued over a long period of time, whereas status of neglected children was more likely to change after a 1-year period.In the study 3, connections were traced between stability of popularity and consistency in behavioral characteristics during early childhood. Individual differences in behavioral characteristics were assessed with peer behavior nominations and behavioral observation measures. Findings suggested that stability of popularity was associated with increased sociability and decreased aggression.In the study 2 and 4, stable and unstable status groups across a 3-year period in childhood were compared in terms of lonliness and peer behavioral assessments of sociability, aggression, and withdrawal. Results demonstrated that chronicity of peer rejection increased children's loneliness and that an increase in sociability and aggression improved and reduced children's peer status, respectively.