STABILITY AND CHANGE IN PEER-REJECTED STATUS - THE ROLE OF CHILD-BEHAVIOR, PARENTING, AND FAMILY ECOLOGY

Antecedents and correlates of peer rejection in kindergarten and first grade were examined. Interviews with 585 mothers provided data on par enting and family ecology. Child behavior was indexed by peer and teac her ratings. Children were classified as sociometrically accepted in b oth grades, rejected in only one grade, or rejected in both grades, Co mpared to accepted children, rejected children were more likely to com e from lower SES families in which restrictive discipline occurred at a high rate, and were more aggressive and less socially and academical ly skilled. Children rejected in both grades were more aggressive than children rejected in one grade. Decreases in aggression and increases in academic performance were shown by children whose status improved across grades, with the opposite pattern shown by children whose statu s worsened. Findings are discussed in terms of the etiology and mainte nance of peer rejection in the early school years.