Concurrent and Predictive Correlates of Sociometric Status in Kindergarten and Grade 1 Children

It has been suggested that those children who are low in peer status may be at risk for social, cognitive, and social-cognitive problems. In this study the concurrent and predictive correlates of sociometric status were investigated. Seventy-two kindergarteners were assessed for sociometric status during free play and were administered measures of social problem solving, peer popularity and MA. One year later all observations and measures were repeated with the addition of teacher ratings of social competence. Sociometric status was found to be moderately stable from kindergarten to Grade 1 (r =.48). Moreover, status in kindergarten and Grade 1 was concurrently and positively correlated with the use of prosocial problem solving strategies and positive social interactions and concurrently and negatively correlated with solitary-dramatic play. Kindergarten observations of rough-and-tumble play, solitary-functional and solitary-exploratory play, the proportion of negative peer exchanges, and agonistic social problem solving strategies were found to negatively predict sociometric status in Grade 1. Kindergarten measures of parallel-constructive play, IQ, and the number of relevant social problem solving strategies were found to positively predict sociometric status in Grade 1. Sociometric status in kindergarten was found to negatively predict solitary-functional and solitary-exploratory play; agonistic and bribe social problem solving skills and teacher ratings of hostile-aggressive behavior. Kindergarten status positively predicted group play, game activities and prosocial social problem solving strategies in Grade 1.