The Joint Operations of Teacher-Student and Peer Relationships on Classroom Engagement among Low-Achieving Elementary Students: A Longitudinal Multilevel Study

Although both teacher-student relationship (TSR) and peer relationship (PR) have been found important for the development of students' classroom engagement, little research has been done regarding the joint operations of these two factors. Guided by a developmental systems framework, this study examined longitudinal between-person and within-person associations between TSR/ PR and classroom engagement in a sample of 784 low-achieving students in the first three years of elementary school. A multidimensional approach was used to distinguish positive and negative dimensions of TSR, as well as peer liking and disliking. At the between-person level, results showed that students' classroom engagement was positively predicted by positive TSR and PR liking and was negatively predicted by negative TSR and PR disliking. Both positive and negative TSR interacted with PR disliking at the between-person level, such that the associations between positive/negative TSR and classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower levels of PR disliking. At the within-person level, changes in classroom engagement were associated with contemporaneous year-to-year changes in positive/negative TSR and PR disliking. No within-person level interaction effects were found. Cross-level interaction showed that the effects of within-person negative TSR on classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower overall levels of PR disliking. Findings highlighted the importance of using a multilevel multidimensional approach to understand the joint operations of TSR and PR in the development of classroom engagement in low-achieving students in early elementary school.

Are there negative cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity? Testing ri-CLPMs in two longitudinal samples of young adolescents

This study's aim was to examine whether there are negative increasing cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity over time. Drawing from Social Information Processing Theory, we hypothesized that victimization leads to higher levels of rejection sensitivity, which would put adolescents at risk for higher future victimization. Data were collected in a four-wave study with 233 Dutch adolescents starting secondary education (Mage = 12.7 years), and a three-wave study with 711 Australian adolescents in the last years of primary school (Mage = 10.8 years). Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to disentangle between-person from within-person effects. In each sample, a significant between-person association was found: adolescents with higher levels of victimization as compared to their peers also reported higher levels of rejection sensitivity. At the within-person level, all concurrent associations between individual fluctuations of victimization and rejection sensitivity were significant, but there were no significant cross-lagged effects (except in some sensitivity analyses). These findings demonstrate that victimization and rejection sensitivity are interrelated, but there may not be negative victimization-rejection sensitivity cycles during the early-middle adolescent years. Possibly, cycles establish earlier in life or results are due to shared underlying factors. Further research is needed examining different time lags between assessments, age groups, and contexts.

Disaggregating the Between-Person and Within-Person Associations Between Peer Acceptance and Academic Achievement in Early Elementary School

We examined the between-person and within-person associations between peer acceptance and academic achievement in early elementary school years. Drawing on a sample of 784 academically at-risk students, the random intercept cross-lagged panel model was implemented to disaggregate the between- and within-person associations between peer acceptance and academic achievement from Grades 1 to 3. Academic achievement was measured using standardized achievement tests and teacher reports. Peer acceptance was measured using sociometric ratings. Positive associations between peer acceptance and academic achievement were found at the between-person level. At the within-person level, peer acceptance was not associated with standardized achievement test scores, and it was negatively predicted by teacher-reported academic achievement. These findings reveal the heterogeneous associations between peer relation and academic achievement at different levels of analyses and highlight the importance of disaggregating the between- and within-person associations for a better understanding of the nature of this developmental relation.

Being and feeling liked by others: how social inclusion impacts health

This study examined the effects of perceived and actual social inclusion on health across and within individuals from a network perspective. During the first semester, 75 freshmen students provided bi-weekly ratings on their perceived social inclusion and health. To capture actual social inclusion, each student nominated liked and disliked fellow students. Perceived social inclusion mediated the effect of actual social inclusion on health. Specifically, students with more 'likes' perceived more social inclusion and those with higher perceived inclusion reported a better health status (between-person effect). In addition, at time points, when students received more 'likes' they also perceived more social inclusion. They reported better health at times when they felt more included (within-person effect). Thus, the perception of social inclusion is rooted in reality and actual social inclusion has an impact on health when passing the filter of perception.