ERIC Number: EJ1401641
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1063-4266
EISSN: EISSN-1538-4799
Available Date: N/A
Influence of Child Externalizing Behavior on Friendship Centrality and Reciprocity in Kindergarten Classrooms
Chow, Jason C.; Granger, Kristen L.; Broda, Michael D.; Washington-Nortey, Princess-Melissa
Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, v31 n4 p235-247 2023
In this study, we examine friendship centrality and reciprocity between kindergarteners who exhibit externalizing classroom behaviors and their classroom peers. Teachers nominated children who display externalizing classroom behaviors, and we collected network data via individual interviews of 411 children (mean age = 6.7 years; SD = 0.33) from 21 kindergarten classrooms in four U.S. schools. We found that children nominated for elevated levels of externalizing behavior were significantly less central to the classroom friendship network (over and above the contribution of language skills), and this effect was magnified for boys and students in larger classrooms. Moderator analyses revealed a significant gender by behavior interaction, where the difference between boys and girls was conditional on externalizing behavior nomination. Similar main effect results were found when predicting whether or not students had a reciprocal friendship tie. Students who received a teacher nomination for externalizing behavior had 48% lower odds of having a reciprocal friendship tie, after controlling for language skills. We found no significant moderators of the behavior-reciprocity relation. We conclude our study with a discussion of our findings and recommendations for future research and practice.
Descriptors: Friendship, Behavior Problems, Language Skills, Gender Differences, Kindergarten, Teacher Attitudes, Social Networks, Class Size, Prediction, Correlation, Peer Relationship, Network Analysis
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R324B200039
Author Affiliations: N/A