Reasons for displeasure in room girls, sixth and eighth grade, in Portugal

Abstract

The studies regarding peer relationships have reported the positive outcomes for social and emotional development as for adjustment to school. However, some characteristics are associated with less acceptance by peers. Other studies suggest that there are differences between genders: girls usually tend to establish friendships between dyads or triads while boys tend to create bonds in larger groups. Besides, the relation between aggression and social status also seems to differ between genders: girls use more social or relational aggression, exhibited by more behaviours of exclusion, negative gossip and verbal threats and these behaviours are as well considered less adequate,prompting more rejection of the girls who display them. Therefore, understanding the reasons expressed by girls for rejecting a peer is particularly relevant in order to understand the more valued aspects of the interaction and relationships with peers and consequently, to improve the interventions which aim for the integration in the peer group. In the present study we identify the reasons expressed by girls for rejecting peers when playing or hanging out during recess. 841 students (418 girls) answered a sociometric task. Students were enrolled in 4th grade (126 girls), 6th grade (83 girls) and 8th grade (209 girls). Content analysis of the 1272 reasons using a previous categorization suggested that, in general, reasons mentioned by girls and boys for not choosing a peer to play with or hang out with are related to the behaviours of the nominated. However, girls mentioned more frequently aggressive behaviours, in particular the ones involving intimidation.

Keywords

• elaciones con iguales
• motivos de rechazo
• tarea sociométrica
• análisis de contenido