Children's relationships with adults and peers: An examination of elementary and junior high school students

Social and affective processes connected to children's relationships inside and outside the school setting are important factors in children's successful adaptation to school. This study examines the relationships of 1,226 low-risk elementary and middle school children across a variety of relationship partners. Descriptive data on the profile of these school-aged children's patterns of relatedness with others are presented. Developmental trends are explored as well. There is a shift in the self-reported quality of children's relationships with adults (mothers and teachers) and peers (best friends and classmates) from elementary school to middle school. In middle school, children report more positive perceptions of their relationships with peers and less positive perceptions of their relationships with adults than do elementary school children. These findings are discussed in terms of the implications that children's interpersonal relationships have for facilitating readiness to learn and active engagement in school. Limitations of the present study and methodological issues connected to the assessment of relationships are discussed as well. (C) 1997 Society for the Study of School Psychology.