Friendship in Normal and Socially Deviant Children

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Abstract
The present study assessed whether groups of normal and socially deviant children differed in numbers of friends and popularity. Subjects were 844 children in grades 4 through 7. They were classified as aggressive, withdrawn, aggressive-withdrawn or nondeviant on the basis of a peer nomination sociometric, the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (PEI). Friendship was defined as a reciprocated friendship nomination between two children. Popularity was measured by the likeability factor of the PEI. Correlations between numbers of friends and likeability scores were low, in particular in the older grades. With respect to PEI classification, aggressive-withdrawn children had fewer friends than aggresive and nondeviant children. Aggressive-withdrawn children also received lower likeability scores than children in other deviant and nondeviant groups. Subjects in grade 6-7 had more friends than subjects in grade 4-5, although the two age-groups did not differ on likeability. There were no sex differences in numbers of friends or likeability, although all children had more same-sex than opposite-sex friends. The distinction between friendship and popularity, and the classification and age differences in numbers of friends are discussed.