The clinical significance and assessment of poor peer relations: peer neglect versus peer rejection

Positive peer relations play a fundamental role in fostering adaptive social-emotional development, and children who experience peer difficulties are at increased risk for poor social development and later maladjustment. Rejected children who are actively disliked by peers are particularly likely to show cross-situational conduct problems and to experience continued rejection over time. Neglected children, who have few friends but are not actively disliked, often evidence social withdrawal; the clinical and predictive significance of their peer problem is yet to be determined empirically. The advantages of including cross-situational ratings of children's behavioral problems along with ratings of their peer relations for clinical assessments are discussed. Specific assessment strategies are presented.