Peer rejection in childhood, involvement with antisocial peers in early adolescence, and the development of externalizing behavior problems

A longitudinal, prospective design was used to examine the roles of peer re jection in middle childhood and antisocial peer involvement in early adoles cence in the development of adolescent externalizing behavior problems. Bot h early starter and late starter pathways were considered. Classroom sociom etric interviews from ages 6 through 9 years, adolescent reports of peers' behavior at age 13 years, and parent, teacher, and adolescent self-reports of externalizing behavior problems from age 5 through 14 years were availab le for 400 adolescents. Results indicate that experiencing peer rejection i n elementary school and greater involvement with antisocial peers in early adolescence are correlated but that these peer relationship experiences may represent two different pathways to adolescent externalizing behavior prob lems. Peer rejection experiences, but not involvement with antisocial peers , predict later externalizing behavior problems when controlling for stabil ity in externalizing behavior. Externalizing problems were most common when rejection was experienced repeatedly. Early externalizing problems did not appear to moderate the relation between peer rejection and later problem b ehavior. Discussion highlights multiple pathways connecting externalizing b ehavior problems from early childhood through adolescence with peer relatio nship experiences in middle childhood and early adolescence.