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The Social Cognitions of Socially Withdrawn Children
Author(s) -
Wichmann Cherami,
Coplan Robert J.,
Daniels Tina
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
social development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.078
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1467-9507
pISSN - 0961-205X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9507.2004.00273.x
Subject(s) - psychology , attribution , assertiveness , social cognition , developmental psychology , preference , cognition , psychological intervention , aggression , peer group , social psychology , neuroscience , psychiatry , economics , microeconomics
The purpose of this study was to examine the social cognitions of peer‐identified socially withdrawn children. Participants included 457 children from grades four, five and six (54% females, 46% males). Children completed a selection of self‐ and peer‐report measures including: (1) peer‐rated behavioral nominations; (2) hostile intent biases and social responses to ambiguous situations; (3) social goals and self‐efficacy; and (4) a newly developed measure of causal attributions. An extreme groups procedure was used to identify three groups of children: (1) socially withdrawn (n = 50); (2) aggressive (n = 53); and (3) a comparison group (n = 206). As compared with their peers, withdrawn children displayed a pattern of self‐defeating attributions for social situations, reported lower efficacy for assertive goals, and indicated a preference for non‐assertive, withdrawn strategies to deal with hypothetical conflict situations. Findings are discussed with respect to implications for interventions, and directions for further research are presented.