Modeling Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioral Predictors of Peer Acceptance

Abstract

Integrating principles of differential emotions theory and social information-processing theory, this study examined a model of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral predictors of peer acceptance in a sample of 201 early elementary school-age children (mean age = 7 years, 5 months). A path analytic model showed that social skills mediated the effect of emotion knowledge on both same- and opposite-sex social preference, but social skills and verbal ability were more strongly related to opposite-sex peer acceptance. These findings suggest that adaptive social skills constitute a mechanism through which children express their emotion knowledge and achieve peer acceptance. Results also supported findings of previous studies that showed that emotion knowledge mediated the effect of verbal ability on social skills. Findings from the present study have specific implications for emotion-centered prevention programs that aim to improve children's socioemotional competence and enhance the likelihood of peer acceptance.

The Extent and Specificity of Relative Age Effects on Mental Health and Functioning in Early Adolescence

“…The results support suggestions that youngest members of the cohort might have more difficulty being accepted by their peers [10], which is consistent with evidence indicating that they are much more likely to be bullied than other children [9]. Conceivably, difficulties in reading, communication and attainment that are experienced by younger students, especially in the earlier years in school, might have an adverse impact on their socialization within their peer group [22,23].…”

Girls' and Boys' Choices of Peer Behavioral Characteristics at Age Five

“…Furthermore, Martin and Fabes (2001) showed that the more time boys spent playing with other boys, the more positive emotions they expressed. This positive emotional development could be seen as another mechanism for reducing antisocial conduct, by fostering the expression of more prosocial behavior in boys in competitive social situations (Mostow, Izard, Fine, & Trentacosta, 2002). In relation to girls' groups, our results suggest that their choice of affective-organized activities, as well as their cooperative style of resource management with girl partners, may be linked to well-being in intimate relationships (Bouchard, Lussier, & Sabourin, 1999), and could be seen as a mechanism for reducing emotional problems.…”

Development and evaluation of psychometric properties of an inventory of teachers' perceptions on socio-emotional needs

“…Also, social and emotional skills have a significant impact on engagement in appropriate relationships in middle childhood (Denham et al, 2003), reduce aggressive reactivity (Pavarini, Loureiro, & Souza, 2011), predict peer acceptance (Mostow, Izard, Fine, & Trentacosta, 2002), social and behaviour outcomes (Fine, Izard, Mostow, Trentacosta, & Ackerman, 2003), and responsible behavior (Bear, Manning, & Izard, 2003). The efficacy of the school-based programmes that promote social and emotional competences is well established (Greenberg et al, 2003), at a cross-cultural level (Kimber, Sandell, & Bremberg, 2008;Moreira, Crusellas, Sá, Petracchi, & Matias, 2010).…”