Reciprocity, Trust, and Vulnerability in Neglected and Rejected Children

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Abstract
Sociometric tests were administered to 112 first grade Australian children (age range five years 10 months to seven years) in to select three groups: rejected, neglected, and control. The extent to which each child used concepts of mutual sharing and trust when describing friendship expectations was assessed by interview. The Self-Other-Orientation Task was used as a projective measure of vulnerability. It was found that neglected children included mutual sharing and trust in their friendship expectations; however, they perceived themselves as comparatively more vulnerable in interpersonal relationships than others. The rejected children did not regard trust as an important component of friendship and misperceived their acceptance within the peer group. The results are interpreted in terms of the development of defensive interpersonal strategies in response to an inability to interact successfully with others.