Assessment of peer neglect in the preschool years: a short-term longitudinal study

Examined concurrent and longitudinal relations between different measures of peer neglect in the preschool years. Measures of social competence included peer sociometrics, teacher ratings, and behavioral observations of peer interactions. Participants were sixty 4- to 5-year-old Caucasian boys from low-income family backgrounds. Results indicated that the stability of indicators of peer neglect and social isolation depended on the measure employed. Correlations between different measures suggested heterogeneity in patterns of social adaptation among neglected or isolated preschool children. Results are discussed emphasizing the need to rely on multiple indicators for the assessment of preschool children's social competence.