University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Social life in middle school: Peer rejection, behavioral style, and loneliness

Parkhurst, Jennifer Thompson

This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/23530

Description

Title
Social life in middle school: Peer rejection, behavioral style, and loneliness
Author(s)
Parkhurst, Jennifer Thompson
Issue Date
1989
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Asher, Steven R.
Department of Study
  • Education, Sociology of
  • Psychology, Developmental
Discipline
  • Education, Sociology of
  • Psychology, Developmental
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
  • Education, Sociology of
  • Psychology, Developmental
Language
eng
Abstract
This study was designed to learn whether subgroups of peer-rejected middle school students could be identified, corresponding to internalizing and externalizing styles, and whether these groups differed not only in behavior, but in loneliness and social concerns. Sociometric nominations, peer behavioral assessment data, loneliness and social dissatisfaction information, and responses to a newly-developed social concerns measure were obtained from 450 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school students. Results indicated the existence of two distinct subgroups, one described by their peers as starting fights and the other as easy to push around. The groups also differed in their degree of loneliness and their social concerns, with the Submissive-Rejected group reporting greater loneliness, social anxiety, and worry about their relations with others. Although the groups differed on several behavioral dimensions, both groups were perceived by peers as low in prosocial behavior and as unable to take teasing.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/23530
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1989 Parkhurst, Jennifer Thompson

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Psychology
Dissertations and Theses from the Dept. of Psychology