Social life in middle school: Peer rejection, behavioral style, and loneliness

This study was designed to learn whether subgroups of peer-rejected middle school students could be identified, corresponding to internalizing and externalizing styles, and whether these groups differed not only in behavior, but in loneliness and social concerns. Sociometric nominations, peer behavioral assessment data, loneliness and social dissatisfaction information, and responses to a newly-developed social concerns measure were obtained from 450 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school students. Results indicated the existence of two distinct subgroups, one described by their peers as starting fights and the other as easy to push around. The groups also differed in their degree of loneliness and their social concerns, with the Submissive-Rejected group reporting greater loneliness, social anxiety, and worry about their relations with others. Although the groups differed on several behavioral dimensions, both groups were perceived by peers as low in prosocial behavior and as unable to take teasing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education, Sociology of

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Parkhurst, Jennifer Thompson

Contributors dc:contributor

• Asher, Steven R.

• Education, Sociology of
• Psychology, Developmental

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1989 Parkhurst, Jennifer Thompson

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI8924916
(UMI)AAI8924916

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/23530