THE ACADEMIC LIVES OF NEGLECTED, REJECTED, POPULAR, AND CONTROVERSIALCHILDREN

The purposes of this study were to examine academically relevant chara cteristics of different sociometric status groups and to learn about t he academic orientations of behavioral subgroups of rejected children. Results from a sample of 423 sixth and seventh graders (ages 11-13) s uggested that sociometrically neglected children have quite positive a cademic profiles. When compared with average status children, these st udents reported higher levels of motivation, were described by teacher s as more self-regulated learners, as more prosocial and compliant, an d as being better liked by teachers. Analyses of two behavioral subgro ups of rejected children indicated that aggressive-rejected but not su bmissive-rejected children have problematic academic profiles. Relatio ns of neglected and aggressive-rejected status to academic adjustment in young adolescents' lives is discussed.