A LONGITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF THE ACADEMIC CORRELATES OF EARLY PEER ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION

Examines the extent to which academic achievement and work habits of f irst and second graders are predicted by classroom social status over the kindergarten, first-, and second-grade period. Three hundred and f orty five children (163 boys and 182 girls) from a southern California community comprised the sample. The ethnic distribution of the sample was approximately 45% Caucasian, 42% Latino, 9% African American, and 5% Asian or other ethnicity. Findings suggest that peer rejection ass essed as early as kindergarten and social rejection that is stable acr oss 2 years (kindergarten-first grade or first-second grade) are assoc iated with deficits in first-grade work habits and second-grade academ ic achievement and work habits. In contrast, stable social acceptance appears to buffer children from early academic difficulty. The pattern of findings remain significant after controlling for initial kinderga rten academic competence. The implications for clinical and educationa l intervention programs are discussed.