Early Adolescents' Social Standing in Peer Groups: Behavioral Correlates of Stability and Change

• NCJ Number: 227987
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 38 Issue: 8 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 1084-1095
• Author(s): Jennifer E. Lansford; Ley A. Killeya-Jones; Shari Miller; Philip R. Costanzo
• Date Published: September 2009
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1 P20 DA017589-02
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This longitudinal study examined the stability of social standing in early adolescent peer groups and correlates of changes in social standing.

Abstract

Findings support three main conclusions. First, social preference, perceived popularity, network centrality, and leadership were all stable across this 1-year period. Second, alcohol use among boys predicted an increase in social preference from grade seven to grade eight. Third, ethnicity was a significant factor in the prediction of change in centrality from grade seven to grade eight. There were no significant main effects in perceived popularity or leadership status from grade seven to grade eight. The findings suggest that over the developmental course of early adolescence, problem behaviors may enhance or detract from social standing depending upon adolescents' personal characteristics of race and gender. Data were collected through a self-report survey and a sociometric peer nomination measure in a magnet school in a mid-size Southeastern city. All seventh grade students were invited to participate; 80 percent consented; 91 percent provided data at both time points during the study. Tables and references