Premium
Effects of the Peer Group on the Development of Social Functioning and Academic Achievement: A Longitudinal Study in Chinese Children
Author(s) -
Chen Xinyin,
Chang Lei,
Liu Hongyun,
He Yunfeng
Publication year - 2008
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/j.1467-8624.2007.01123.x
Subject(s) - psychology , academic achievement , social competence , developmental psychology , peer group , structural equation modeling , longitudinal study , peer relations , multilevel model , social skills , competence (human resources) , social change , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , machine learning , computer science , economics , economic growth
This longitudinal study examined, in a sample of Chinese children (initial mean ages = 9.5 and 12.7 years, N = 505), how the peer group contributed to social functioning and academic achievement and their associations. Data on informal peer groups, social functioning, and academic achievement were collected from multiple sources. Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that group academic performance made direct contributions to children’s social development. Group academic performance also moderated the individual‐level relations between academic performance and later social functioning. Whereas high‐achieving groups strengthened the positive relations between academic achievement and social competence, low‐achieving groups facilitated the negative relations between academic achievement and social problems. The results indicate the significance of the peer group for social functioning from a developmental perspective.