Skip to main content
Log in

Early Peer Rejection and Aggression: Longitudinal Relations with Adolescent Behavior

  • Published:
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal relations between peer nominations for aggression and rejection in first grade, and aggressive behavior, pyschological-well being, and academic achievement in early adolescence. We found that peer nominations of aggression as early as the first grade are predictive of multiple indicators of aggressive behavior in early adolescence, particularly for boys. Early peer rejection also appears to make a unique contribution to adolescent aggressive behavior and psychological wellbeing in the form of depressive symptoms. For girls, peer rejection also appears to be linked to poorer academic achievement. The present findings support the need for early interventions with aggressive and rejected children. Future research is needed to further delineate the processes by which early peer rejection and aggression are linked to later outcomes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Coie, J., Dodge, K., and Coppotelli, H. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: A crossage perspective. Dev. Psychol. 18: 557–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J.D., Lochman, J.E., Terry, R., and Hyman, C. (1992). J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 60: 783–792.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J., Terry, R., Lenox, K., Lochman, J., Hyman, C. (1995). Childhood peer rejection and aggression as predictors of stable patterns of adolescent disorder. Dev. Psychopathol. 7: 697–714.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills-Fourth Edition (1991). MacMillian McGraw-Hill, Monterey, CA.

  • Cowen, E.L., Pederson, A., Babigian, H., Izzo, L.D., and Trost, M.A. (1973). Long-term follow-up of early detected vulnerable children. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 41: 438–446.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Damon, W. (1977). The Social World of the Child, San Jossey-Bass, Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  • Denzin, N.K. (1977). Childhood Socialization, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kellam, S. G., Werthamer-Larsson, L., Dolan, L.J., Brown, C. H., Mayer, L. S., Rebok, G. W., Anthony, J. C., Laudolff, J., and Edelsohn, G. (1991). Developmental epidemiologically based preventive trials: Baseline modeling of early target behaviors and depressive symptoms. Am. J. Commun. Psychol. 19: 563–584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flavell, J. H. (1977). Cognitive Development, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohlberg, L., LaCrosse, I., and Ricks, D. (1972). The predictability of adult mental health from childhood behavior. In Wolman, B. B., (ed.), Manual of Child Psychopathology, McGraw, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs, M. (1983). The children's depression inventory: A self-rated depression scale for school-age youngsters, Unpublished manuscript, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kupersmidt, J. B. and Coie, J. D. (1985). The prediction of delinquency and school-related problems from childhood peer status, Unpublished manuscript.

  • Kupersmidt, J. B., and Coie, J. D. (1990). Preadolescent peer status and aggression as predictors of externalizing problems in adolescence. Child Devel. 61: 1350–1362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kupersmidt, J. B., Coie, J. D., and Dodge, K. A. (1990). The role of poor peer relationships in the development of disorder. In Asher, S. R., and Coie, J. D. (Eds.), Peer Rejection in Childhood, Cambridge University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, J. G., and Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment: Are low-accepted children at risk? Psychol. Bull. 102: 357–389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R., Capaldi, D. and Bank, L. (1991). An early starter model for predicting delinquency. In Pepler, D., and Rubin, K.H. (eds.), The Development and Treatment of Childhood Aggression, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N.J., pp. 139–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R., Reid J., and Dishion, T. (1992). Antisocial Boys, Castalia, Eugene, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pekarik, E., Prinz, R., Leibert, C., Weintraub, S., and Neale, J. (1976). The pupil evaluation inventory: A sociometric technique for assessing children's social behavior. J. Abnorm. Child Psychol. 4: 83–97.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rest, J. R. (1983). Moral development. In Flavell, J.H., and Markman, E.M. (eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology (Vol. 3), Cognitive Development, Wiley, New York, pp. 556–629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salzer Burks, V., Dodge, K., and Price, J. (1995). Models of internalizing outcomes of early rejection. Devel. Psychopathol. 7: 697–714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selman, R. I. (1979). The Growth of Interpersonal Understanding, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shantz, C. U. (1983). Social cognition. In Flavell, J. H., and Markman, E. M. (eds.), Handbook of Child Psychology (Vol. 3): Cognitive Development, Wiley, New York, pp. 495–555.

    Google Scholar 

  • Speroff, B. J. (1955). The stability of sociometric choice among kindergarten children. Sociometry 18: 129–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Terry, R. and Coie, J. D. (1991). A comparison of methods for defining sociometric status among children. Devel. Psychol. 27: 867–880.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wasik, B. H. (1987). Sociometric measures and peer descriptions of kindergarten children: A study of reliability and validity. J. Clin. Child Psychol. 16(Issue 3): 218–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werthamer-Larsson, L., Kellam, S., and Wheeler, L. (1991). Effect of first-grade classroom environment on shy behavior, aggressive behavior, and concentration problems. Am. J. Commun. Psychol. 19: 585–602.

    Google Scholar 

  • West, D. J., and Farrington, D.P. (1973). Who Becomes Delinquent? Second Report of the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development, Heinemann, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Youniss, J. E. (1980). Parents and Peers in Social Development: A Sullivan-Piaget Perspective, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ialongo, N.S., Vaden-Kieman, N. & Kellam, S. Early Peer Rejection and Aggression: Longitudinal Relations with Adolescent Behavior. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities 10, 199–213 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JODD.0000036976.48023.a6

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JODD.0000036976.48023.a6

Navigation