title: Longitudinal stability of social competence indicators in a Portuguese sample: Q-sort profiles of social competence, measures of social engagement, and peer sociometric acceptance.
abstract: This study examines the temporal stability (over 3 years) of individual differences in 3 domains relevant to preschool children's social competence: social engagement/motivation, profiles of behavior and personality attributes characteristic of socially competent young children, and peer acceptance. Each domain was measured with multiple indicators. Sociometric status categories (Asher & Dodge, 1986) and reciprocated friendships were derived from sociometric data. Composites for social competence domains were significantly associated across all time points. Within age-periods, social competence domains were associated with both sociometric and friendship status categories; however, neither sociometric status nor reciprocated friendships were stable over time. Nevertheless, analyses examining the social competence antecedents to reciprocated friendship at age-4 and age-5 suggested that more socially competent children in the prior year were more likely to have a reciprocated friendship in the current year. Popular and rejected sociometric status categories were also associated with social competence indicators in prior years, but this was most clearly seen at age-5.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Investigação em Psicologia Cognitiva, do Desenvolvimento e da Educação, ISPA-Instituto Universitário.
authors.forename: António J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Investigação em Psicologia Cognitiva, do Desenvolvimento e da Educação, ISPA-Instituto Universitário.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Peceguina
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Investigação em Psicologia Cognitiva, do Desenvolvimento e da Educação, ISPA-Instituto Universitário.
authors.forename: João R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D010379:Peer Group; D010551:Personality; D010553:Personality Development; D011174:Portugal; D011779:Q-Sort; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012919:Social Behavior; D012963:Sociometric Techniques