Deviant Peer Affiliations and Depression: Confounding or Causation?

Data gathered from 2 longitudinal studies (the Christchurch Health and Development study of a birth cohort of 1,265 New Zealand participants studied to 21 years and the Quebec Study of 240 Canadian participants studied to 13 years) was used to examine the linkages between deviant peer affiliations and depression in adolescence. Both studies produced similar conclusions:a)increasing peer affiliations were associated with significant (p < .0001) increases in depressive symptoms;b)the associations between peer affiliations and depression could not be fully explained by confounding factors; andc)peer affiliations and depressive symptoms were linked by a causal chain process in which deviant peer affiliations led to increased externalizing behaviors with the negative conse-quences of these behaviors leading to depression.     

The role of athlete as contributor to peer status in school-age and adolescent females in the United States: From pre-title IX to 2000 and beyond

Despite its importance for males, athleticism has been considered inconsequential as a predictor of peer status for females. In the United States, however, female sports have seen dramatic increases in participation, sport type variety, and role models since the passage of Title IX. An extensive literature review was conducted to determine if athletic variables have become more significant predictors of peer status for school-age (ages 7–13) and adolescent (ages 14–18) females in the United States over the past 30 years. An integration of findings suggested that the relation between athletic variables and peer status remained relatively stable across age groups. Review of literature addressing the internal perceptions of female athletes allowed for speculation regarding the increases in participation despite the lack of peer status benefits.     

Understanding Mechanisms of Change in the Development of Antisocial Behavior: The Impact of a Universal Intervention

The association between the development of antisocial behavior, affiliation with deviant friends, and peer rejection was tested with a preventive intervention; 664 boys and girls were randomly assigned to a universal classroom-based intervention targeting disruptive behavior or a control condition. Peer nominations of antisocial behavior, friends' antisocial behavior, and peer rejection were assessed annually for 4 years. A high, a moderate, and a stable low antisocial behavior trajectory were identified. Large reductions in antisocial behavior were found among intervention children who followed the high trajectory. These reductions coincided with affiliations with nondeviant peers and with decreases in peer rejection. The affiliation between deviant and nondeviant peers was initiated by nondeviant children. The results support a causal role of deviant friends and peer rejection in the development of antisocial behavior. The implications for our understanding of the mechanisms leading to reductions in antisocial behavior are discussed.     

初中生社会交往策略的发展及其与同伴接纳的关系

采用自编初中生社会交往策略问卷考察了北京市两所普通中学314名初中生的社会交往策略。研究表明:自编初中生社会交往策略问卷具有较好的信度与效度,均达到心理测量学要求;初中生开始交往情境的消极表现策略,冲突解决情境的回避性、求助第三者和消极表现三种策略,维持交往情境的消极表现、求助第三者以及被动等待三种策略存在显著的年级差异;初中生开始交往情境的消极表现和回避策略,冲突解决情境的消极表现和妥协顺从两种策略,维持交往情境中的消极表现策略存在显著的性别差异;同伴接纳水平不同的初中生在开始交往情境的消极表现策略,冲突解决情境的沟通协商、消极表现和妥协顺从三种策略以及维持交往情境的消极表现、回避性和积极沟通三种策略上存在显著差异。     

Neighborhood Contextual Factors and Early-Starting Antisocial Pathways

This paper examines research investigating the effects of neighborhood context on the onset and persistence of early-starting antisocial pathways across middle and late childhood. The review begins by presenting theory and research mapping the early-starting developmental pathway. Next, sociologically and psychologically based investigations linking neighborhood context and early antisocial behavior are examined, in order to posit and evaluate the effects of community economic disadvantage, exposure to neighborhood violence, and involvement with neighborhood-based deviant peer groups on the development of antisocial behavior. It is suggested that middle childhood may represent a critical developmental period during which children are at heightened risk for neighborhood-based effects on antisocial behavior problems. Key methodological issues are addressed, and recommendations for future research integrating developmental pathways and neighborhood theory and research are advanced.     

Acting Nasty in the Face of Failure? Longitudinal Observations of “Hard-to-Manage” Children Playing a Rigged Competitive Game with a Friend

Peer problems are almost universal among children with disruptive behavior disorders, and have been linked to social information processing deficits that lead to heightened threat responses (K. A. Dodge, 1980). This 2-year longitudinal study uses direct observations to examine the real-life significance of this finding. Forty hard-to-manage children and 40 typically developing control children were filmed at ages 5 and 7 playing a rigged competitive game in which they experienced a clear threat of losing. Group differences in negative behavior (hard-to-manage > controls) were stable over time and independent of verbal ability. Predictors of individual differences in negative behavior were also examined. Previous studies with this sample have shown that at 4 years of age, the hard-to-manage children displayed elevated frequencies of violent pretend play (J. Dunn & C. Hughes, 2001), coupled with poor performance on tests of executive function and theory of mind (C. Hughes, J. Dunn, & A. White, 1998). In this study, 4-year-olds whose pretend play indicated a preoccupation with violence were more likely to respond negatively to the threat of losing a competitive game at age 5 and at age 7. Four-year-olds who performed poorly on tests of theory of mind and executive function showed higher rates of negative behavior at age 5 but not age 7. These findings highlight just a few of the multiple paths leading to peer problems among children with disruptive behavior problems.     

Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum: Perceived Effects of Participation in a University-Based Challenge Course Program in the Community

Researchers investigated perceived life effectiveness of young adults with autism who were partnered with student peers in an outdoor Challenge Course program on a university campus. Twenty-three adults ages 17–34 completed the Life Effectiveness Questionnaire before and after participating in the program. Paired samples t-tests of pre-scores and post-scores indicated significant increases in self-perceptions of effectiveness in task leadership and social competence factors. Perceptions of improved communication and high levels of satisfaction were reported by participants and parents. Occupational therapy intervention with community-dwelling young adults with autism using university-based peer partnerships is effective in promoting participation and life effectiveness.     

Evaluation of Peer Training for Teaching Abduction Prevention Skills

Child abduction is a serious problem, with approximately 100 children killed each year by nonfamily abductors. Training programs to teach children the correct skills to use if they ever come into contact with a stranger can be effective when they incorporate behavioral skills training (BST) and in-situ training (IST) into their protocol. However, these methods can be rather time and energy consuming. The current study evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of a peer tutoring approach to teaching abduction prevention skills. Peer trainers implemented BST sessions and IST sessions with their younger peers. Children successfully acquired the target safety behaviors taught by the peer trainers, and use of the skills generalized to their natural environment.     

Validation of the Peer Social Maturity Scale for Assessing Children's Social Skills

We evaluated the utility of a brief, seven‐item, teacher‐rated Peer Social Maturity Scale (PSMAT). In Study 1, teachers of 138 Australian children (ranging from 5 to 8 years and 5 months old) in kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 rated their pupils' social maturity using the PSMAT and their classroom social skills via the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS). The PSMAT showed excellent internal consistency and a significant overall correlation with the SSRS social skills scale. Study 2 involved a new longitudinal sample of children who were rated by different classroom teachers in kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 of full‐time primary school. Consistent with Study 1, at all three time points, PSMAT scores were highly correlated with SSRS social skills scores. PSMAT scores also correlated significantly with peer‐rated social preference. These studies confirm that the PSMAT is a reliable and valid assessment of children's social maturity within their classroom peer groups. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.