Popularity and Peer Rejection
Explore the role of peer acceptance in childrens adjustment, including popularity and rejection.
http://jbd.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/39/6/530?ijkey=8FPGwV6L5q4SI&keytype=ref&siteid=spjbd
Description: The study examines the relationship between difficulties in peer acceptance during elementary school and emotional and behavioral problems.
Questions to Consider in your Discussion:
1. What types of emotional and behavioral problems are associated with difficulties in peer acceptance?
2. What are the gender differences in findings on peer acceptance and emotional and behavioral problems?
3. How can individuals intervene in peer acceptance difficulties to benefit childrens level of acceptance and subsequent improvement in emotional and behavioral issues? This is where I hope we can have a robust conversation about interventions.
1. There are different kind of emotional and behavioral problems that occur with difficulties in peer acceptance. These include anxiety, depression, social distress. Peer rejection also affects self perception on kids as it really lowers their self confidence to make them feel and believe that they are not worthy. Due to this kids also tend to build frustration and alienation. In fact, also other behavioral problems that kids tend to have include increases in aggression from not being accepted which makes them feel lonely.
2. There are a few gender differences in difficulties in peer acceptances within boys and girls. In fact, boys tend to have more behavior problems than actual girls. On the contrary, girls develop with peer rejection internalizing problems since girls tend to worry and stress more about problematic peer relationships. For boys they showed how they lack verbal abilities due to this issue.
3. To prevent peer rejection and improve emotional and behavior issues is best for teachers to make extracurricular activities that allow the kids work in teams to be able to socialize. I feel personally it is good to make kids work in groups which allows them to step out of their comfort zone and be more social. Kids need to be able to do hands on experiences and team work so they can learn and prevent any emotional distress. This can also help kids take their minds off of things and have a better experience at school.
