Sociometric choice nominations, as well as peer nominations for friendship,
aggression, isolation, and prosocial behaviour, were administered to middle class
Italian primary school youngsters. Socially rejected children were found to be more
aggressive, more withdrawn, and less prosocial than members of the other social
status categories, and to have fewer friends. The proportions of subjects in the
neglected and controversial categories were very low, although the proportions of
rejected and popular children were similar to those found in North American studies.
These findings are discussed within the framework of cross-cultural differences in
children’s peer relations.
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