Self-perceived social acceptance and peer social standing in children with aggressive-disruptive Behaviors

Abstract

Examining children's perceptions of their social acceptance in conjunction with others' ratings of their peer social standing can enhance our understanding of the heterogeneity in children exhibiting disruptive behavior problems. Using a sample of 213 youth rated in the top 31 percent of their class on aggressive-disruptive behaviors, the current study examined the interaction between children's perceptions of their social acceptance and their peer-rated social standing in predicting emotional and behavioral problems. Overall, lower peer-rated social standing was associated with higher levels of antisocial behavior, academic problems, and hyperactivity/inattention. On the other hand, higher self-perceived social acceptance was associated with increased levels of peer-rated fighting at school. For children who were rated as having high social standing among their peers, poorer self-perceived social acceptance was associated with increased oppositional behaviors and conduct problems at home. In addition, children who reported lower self-perceived social acceptance exhibited increased levels of depressive symptoms, even when they were relatively well liked by their peers. The potential implications for working with subgroups of children with aggressive-disruptive behaviors are discussed. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2006.