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The present study examined the hypothesis that negative self-schemas and a range of internalizing problems may be associated with social withdrawal in late childhood and early adolescence. Using in-school peer nominations from the Revised Class Play, 132 eleven- to thirteen-year-olds were classified as withdrawn (n = 40; 22 girls, 18 boys), aggressive (n = 41, 21 girls, 20 boys), or normative control (n = 51; 28 girls, 23 boys). Children completed a self-referent rating task (SRRT), as well as the Youth Self-Report (YSR). The groups were compared in terms of their YSR scores for internalizing problem subtypes, as well as their endorsement and recall of positive and negative descriptors from the SRRT. Compared to the other groups, socially withdrawn children/adolescents reported higher levels of each internalizing problem--that is, shy/withdrawn behaviors, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and somatic problems. Furthermore, although differences in recall for SRRT positive and negative descriptors were not found, socially withdrawn children endorsed fewer positive descriptors and more negative descriptors than did the normative control and aggressive groups. Moreover, fewer positive self-perceptions were a stronger discriminator between the groups than were more negative self perceptions. These findings were interpreted within a risk/protective framework of adjustment. (Contains 4 tables.)

Elementary school children named peers they felt were best described by each item in the Revised Class Play measure. Reasons for naming peers were classified under the categories "passive withdrawal" and "active isolation." Results indicate the importance of refining peer assessment measures of withdrawal. (LB)

Abstract. This study examined age differences in the content of children's self-generated descriptions of their classmates' socially withdrawn behaviors (i.e., fearful shyness, self-conscious shyness, active isolation, and social disinterest). Children [...]

Examined age-related changes in the organization underlying children's ratings of peer social deviance. Peer ratings of aggression, withdrawal, and likeability using the Pupil Evaluation Inventory (PEI) were collected from first, fourth, and seventh graders. For all ages aggression and likeability items were found to comprise cohesive categories of behaviors while withdrawal items changed with age. (Author/DST)

Examines the roles of age of rater and age of children rated in grade-related shifts in children's perceptions of aggression and withdrawal. Shows that differences across grade level reported in children's peer rating largely reflect differences in the child raters' view of behavior. (HOD)