“Spontaneous” Improvement in the Social Positions of Emotionally Disturbed Children in Regular Classes

Abstract

This study was conducted to measure change in the social positions of emotionally disturbed children through time and to assess the importance of acceptance by peers for the development of a healthy personality. The results showed that rejection of emotionally disturbed children was not maintained. This change in social position was not the result of an increase in the positive perceptions of emotionally disturbed children but an absence of negative perceptions by peers. These findings suggest that reduction in negative perceptions by peers may produce the social climate for good development. These results suggest that for good development, stress placed on the importance of acceptance by peers should be discounted.