Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine whether peer status groups and subgroups differed in terms of loneliness, peer perceptions and self-perceptions of their aggression, withdrawal, and social competence. Five status groups of children (popular, rejected, average, neglected, and controversial) were identified on the basis of positive and negative sociometric nominations for 459 children in Grades 3 through 6. Of these groups, 200 children were selected on the basis of peer perceptions of aggression, withdrawal, and social competence to represent the following 8 subgroups: high-competent popular (HCP), low-competent popular (LCP), aggressive rejected (AR), withdrawn rejected (WR), aggressive-withdrawn rejected (AWR), high-withdrawn neglected (HWN), low-withdrawn neglected (LWN), and typical average (TA). Consistent with previous findings, the rejected children were viewed by peers as significantly more aggressive, withdrawn, and socially incompetent with higher levels of loneliness than average and popular children. Children in the AWR, WR, and HWN subgroups were found to be significantly more lonely and exhibited more inaccurate self-evaluations in aggression or withdrawal than typical average children.
