Janis B. Kupersmidt

Similarity as the Basis for Children's Friendships: The Roles of Sociometric Status, Aggressive and Withdrawn Behavior, Academic Achievement and Demographic Characteristics

The purpose of the present study was to examine similarity in demographic, behavioral, academic and social attributes as descriptors and predictors of childrens friendships. The characteristics of all possible pairs of unique classroom dyads (N = 4725) were used to predict reciprocated school, home and best friendship choices among 554 third (M = 9.38 years old) and fourth (M = 10.47 years old) graders. Peer reports of aggressive and withdrawn behavior and sociometric status, teacher reports of poverty, and archival reports of sex, race and academic achievement were obtained. The main finding was that as similarity increased, the likelihood of being friends also increased. Specifically, patterns of gender, race, poverty, aggression, withdrawn behavior, achievement and sociometric status between dyad members were descriptive and predictive of childrens friendships.

Developmental patterns of childhood peer relations as predictors of externalizing behavior problems

Developmental patterns of childhood peer relations were examined in the prediction of externalizing behavior problems in a 4-year multiple cohort longitudinal study. The participants consisted of 880 third- ( M = 9.3 years) through seventh- ( M = 13.4 years) grade students. Approximately half of the participants were female, one third were Black, and one third were from low-income homes. Developmental patterns of six indices of peer relations (including group acceptance, group rejection, having a reciprocated best friend, social support from best friend, conflict with best friend, and the aggressiveness of the best friend) were examined as predictors of aggression and delinquency using logistic regression analyses. Results suggest that both group and dyadic peer relations problems are risk factors for aggression and delinquency. Support was found for the cumulative risk model in the prediction of externalizing outcomes from multiple social risk factors that were additively associated with each negative outcome.

Environmental risk factors and children's achievement from middle childhood to early adolescence.

This study examined the long-term effects of low family income and stressful life events on math and reading achievement test percentile scores for 1,253 children. Four birth cohorts were followed for 2-4 years so that achievement across Grades 2 through 7 could be examined. Two types of analytic models, the multiplicative risk factor model and the cumulative risk model, were used. The moderating effects of ethnicity and gender were also explored. The results suggest that low income and minority ethnic status are significant risk factors for childrens achievement. No systematic evidence was found for a large impact of life events on reading achievement, and the effects of such events on math achievement appear to be best understood as part of the larger context of multiple risk factors during childhood. The findings suggest a differential impact of risk factors on math achievement compared with reading achievement.

Childhood peer rejection, aggression, withdrawal, and perceived competence as predictors of self-reported behavior problems in preadolescence

Childhood peer rejection, aggression, withdrawal, and perceived competence were compared as predictors of self-reported behavior problems. Peer sociometric status (Coie, Dodge, and Coppotelli, 1982), teacher ratings of behavior problems (Lorion, Cowen, & Caldwell, 1975), and perceived competence ratings (Harter, 1982) were obtained for 613 second-through fourth-grade children. Two years later, these students completed a modified version of the Youth Self-Report form (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1987). Rejected children and neglected girls were more likely to have a self-reported nonspecific negative outcome than others. Neglected girls were at heightened risk for depression. A varied set of predictors obtained from different informants emerged for each sex for each of the specific self-reported outcomes of depression, unpopularity, delinquency, aggression, and self-destructive/identity problems. Results are discussed in terms of future directions for longitudinal research on the consequences of poor peer relationships in childhood.

Children's peer relations: From development to intervention.

Childrens Peer Relations is a compilation of virtually everything that is known about the association between childrens peer relations and the development of peer rejection, aggression, and antisocial behavior. Looking beyond the peer rejection process, this volume also covers dyadic relationships, cliques, and associations with difference types of peers as well as the effects of family influences. It is comprehensive in covering the last three decades of research that connect the dynamical features of the social and emotional processes associated with peer problems in childhood and mediators of peer experiences.

The relation between exposure to violence and social information processing among incarcerated adolescents

Combining evidence from social learning theory with reports of the association between community violence exposure and aggressive behavior development, the authors examined the link between specific characteristics of violence exposure and social information-processing mechanisms (N. R. Crick & K. A. Dodge, 1994; K. A. Dodge, 1980, 1986) in a sample of highly aggressive, incarcerated adolescent boys (N = 110). Results demonstrated that victimization by severe violence was significantly related to approval of aggression as a social response, problems with the interpretation of social cues, and maladaptive social goals. Witnessing severe violence, in contrast, was related to perceived positive outcomes for the use of aggression. These data suggest the importance of examining the severity and modality of exposure to community violence for understanding patterns of social-cognitive functioning among adolescents exposed to violence.

Contributions of Hot and Cool Self-Regulation to Preschool Disruptive Behavior and Academic Achievement

The construct of self-regulation can be meaningfully distinguished into hot and cool components. The current study investigated self-regulation in a sample of 926 children aged 3–5 years old. Childrens performance on self-regulatory tasks was best described by two latent factors representing hot and cool regulation. When considered alone, hot and cool regulation were both significantly correlated with disruptive behavior and academic achievement. When considered together, cool regulation was uniquely associated with academic achievement, while hot regulation was uniquely associated with inattentive-overactive behaviors. Results are discussed with respect to treatment studies that directly target improvement in childrens self-regulation.

Aggression and peer victimization as predictors of self-reported behavioral and emotional adjustment

The relative contributions of aggression and victimization to the prediction of self-reported emotional and behavioral difficulties over and above self-reported prior problems were investigated in a 1-year longitudinal study. Fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders (N = 171) completed peer nominations of aggression and victimization as well as self-report measures of social, behavioral, and emotional problems at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Peer aggression added to the prediction of externalizing problems, specifically, self-report of aggression and delinquency. In contrast, victimization by peers contributed to self-reported unpopularity but not depression. Victimization among girls was also predictive of subsequent self-reported delinquency. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings, as well as future directions for research, are discussed.

Prevalence of Aggressive Behaviors among Preschoolers in Head Start and Community Child Care Programs

The purpose of this study was to assess both the prevalence and structure of antisocial behavior among 4 year olds in a Head Start sample compared to a randomly sampled group of children in community child care. The findings were consistent with prior literature suggesting that Head Start children demonstrate higher levels of physical aggression compared to community child care children, whereas community child care children had higher levels of verbal forms of aggression compared to Head Start children. However, Head Start and community child care samples did not differ in the person prevalence of aggression. Across both samples and a range of types of aggressive behavior, boys exhibited aggressive behaviors more frequently than girls. The results of factor analyses on the aggression items with the Head Start sample suggest that a greater number of aggressive behaviors constitute the two aggression (i.e., antisocial, relational) factors than the number of behaviors that uniquely load on these factors for the normative sample. This suggests that aggression may be more complex and multifaceted in a concentrated sample of preschoolers from low-income backgrounds. Results are discussed in terms of (a) the multidimensional nature of aggression during the preschool years and (b) the need for increased mental health services within Head Start and community child care programs for aggressive preschoolers.

Overt and Covert Dimensions of Antisocial Behavior in Early Childhood

The present study was designed to assess both the prevalence and structure of antisocial behavior in a normative sample of preschoolers. Prevalence estimates suggested that 40% of preschoolers exhibit at least one antisocial behavior each day. Furthermore, 10% of preschoolers exhibit six or more antisocial behaviors each day. Consistent with research based on older children, factor analyses provided support for conceptualizing antisocial behavior in early childhood as consisting of both overt and covert dimensions. While both overt and covert behaviors had acceptable test–retest reliability, only overt behaviors had acceptable interrater reliability. Finally both overt and covert dimensions of antisocial behavior were uniquely related to general measures of conduct problems, hyperactivity, and adult and peer conflict in the classroom setting. Findings are discussed with regard to early assessment and the developmental course of antisocial behavior.