Sociometric status and adjustment in middle school: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Relations between sociometric status and school adjustment (classroom grades, prosocial behavior, and irresponsible behavior) were examined over time with a sample of 204 students. Perceived support, efforts to learn, and goals to be prosocial and to be responsible also were examined as mediators of these relations. Sixth-grade sociometric status predicted eighth-grade school adjustment when controlling for sixth-grade school adjustment. Compared to students of average sociometric status, controversial status students had lower classroom grades, rejected status students were rated as less prosocial, and members of rejected and popular status groups were rated as more irresponsible. In addition, neglected status group members perceived less peer support, controversial status group members reported less frequent efforts to learn, and rejected status group members reported less frequent pursuit of prosocial goals than did average status peers. Models, whereby perceived support and motivation explained significant links between sociometric status and school adjustment, were not supported.