Friendship patterns and peer status during early and middle childhood

The primary aim of this article is to provide a brief review of research on children's peer relations for child- and family-oriented practitioners. Attention is devoted to the importance of children's peer relations in child socialization and development, and to distinguishing between specific types of peer relationships and their potential functions. Findings that shed light on the nature or normative features of children's peer relationships at different ages, and evidence pertaining to the origins of specific types of relationships (i.e., peer status and friendship), will also be considered. The final section of the review will provide an overview of recent efforts to develop and test procedures for improving children's peer relations.