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Strengthening Sociometric Prediction: Scientific Advances in the Assessment of Children's Peer Relations
Author(s) -
DeRosier Melissa E.,
Thomas James M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8624.00613
Subject(s) - psychology , mirroring , sociometric status , sociometry , developmental psychology , social psychology
This study assessed the strength of sociometric classification in the prediction of concurrent sociobehavioral adjustment. Differential adjustment for subgroups of unclassified children were also examined. Participants were 881 fifth graders (ages 9 to 12). Classification strength (CS) and unclassified subgroups were determined through newly developed algorithms. CS added significantly to the prediction of all areas of adjustment. For example, highly rejected children were at extreme risk for victimization whereas highly controversial children were most likely to be bullies and relationally aggressive. Unclassified subgroups were found to exhibit adjustment problems mirroring those of their extreme status group counterparts. Findings support that increasing the sensitivity of sociometric measurement results in both greater predictive strength and enhanced understanding of underlying social processes.