Peer rejection as an antecedent of young children's school adjustment: An examination of mediating processes

A short-term longitudinal design (N = 399) was used to examine peer relatio ns processes that may mediate the relation between peer rejection and child ren's emotional and academic adjustment during kindergarten. These proposed mediating processes extend the current literature by explicating behaviora l pathways via which the attitudinal construct of peer rejection may affect adjustment outcomes. Structural equation modeling results supported the hy pothesis that negative peer treatment (e.g., victimization, refusal of peer group entry bids, and exclusion from peer activities) and classroom partic ipation partially mediate the relationship between rejection and adjustment outcomes. Rejected children were more likely to experience negative peer t reatment, more likely to show decreases in classroom participation, and mor e likely to report loneliness, to express a desire to avoid school, and to perform less well on achievement measures.