Social network closure and child adjustment

Fourth-grade children's peer groups were identified using the Social Cognit ive Mapping (SCM) procedure. Children (N = 143) and caregivers then partici pated in interviews in which they provided information used to construct a measure of social network (intergenerational) closure, defined as the exten t to which meaningful social relationships existed between children and the ir friends' parents and among parents whose children were friends. Higher l evels of social network closure were linked with higher achievement test sc ores and lower levels of parent-reported externalizing behavior. Among Euro pean American children only, higher levels of social network closure also w ere linked with higher levels of teacher-rated social competence. Higher le vels of closure were associated with more externalizing behavior (as report ed by parents and teachers) among African American children, but less exter nalizing behavior among European American children. Negative associations b etween closure and internalizing behaviors were strongest among girls who w ere bused from a different neighborhood to attend the target school.