A LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF SOCIOMETRIC STABILITY AND THE BEHAVIORAL-CORRELATES OF CHILDRENS SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

Stability and behavioral correlates of peer acceptance were examined f rom kindergarten through second grade. Study participants were 29 boys and 311 girls from 9 elementary schools. Sociometric protocols and ra ting scales assessed peers' and teachers' perceptions of likability an d social behavior. Social acceptance and peer competence were relative ly stable over 2-year periods. Stability of peer-assessed social compe tence varied as a function of children's gender. Stably rejected child ren evidenced poorer peer and teacher ratings of social behavior than did other children, whereas transiently rejected children were viewed as moderate in social skill. Changes in behavioral characteristics ove r the kindergarten to first-grade and first-to second-grade periods di stinguished stably rejected. stably accepted, and transiently rejected children.