| dc.description.abstract | Aim The present study is the first to examine both the unique and combined associations between relationship quality with best friend, peer victimization, attachment to peers, and sociometric status on the one hand and internalizing and externalizing problem behavior on the other hand in one systematic approach. Method Self-report questionnaires (Network of Relationships Inventory, a victimization questionnaire, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, sociometric test, Nijmegen Problem Behavior List) were administered among 342 Dutch early adolescents (Mage = 11.21 years, SD = .76, 50.6% female) attending 10 different Dutch elementary schools. Results Correlational analysis shows significant unique associations between all types of peer experiences and both types of problem behavior. In contrast, when all peer experiences are assessed in combination, hierarchical regression analysis shows that only more peer victimization and a more negative relationship quality with best friend is directly related to both more internalizing and externalizing problem behavior, in addition to a direct association between lower attachment to peers and internalizing problems only. Conclusion This study reveals that an integrative approach of multiple peer experiences and problem behavior provides a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of peer relations in early adolescence. Most noteworthy, the presence of negative aspects of peer experiences seem to be more strongly related to higher levels of problem behavior, compared to the absence of positive aspects. In addition, the combined peer experiences seem to be more strongly related to internalizing than externalizing problem behavior, with an explained variance of respectively 31.5% and 17.9%. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. | |
