Children's and Teachers' Views of School-Based Competencies and Their Relation to Children's Peer Status

Abstract

The congruence of children's and teachers' perceptions of their school-based competencies and the relation of those views to peer group status were examined in a sample of 102 fifth and sixth graders. Perceptions of competencies were gathered with the Health Resources Inventory (HRI; Gesten, 1976) and peer status was determined with sociometrics. Factor analysis of the children's self-report HRI indicated general comparability with the teachers' form. Correlations between children's and teachers' scores were modest. Significant differences among sociometric groups were found for HRI total scores and four of five subscales; teachers' ratings were more highly related to sociometric status than were children's self-ratings. Findings support the use of the HRI but suggest the need to consider both child and adult views when assessing specific competencies in school.

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Notes on contributors

Jaana Juvonen

Jaana Juvonen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Delaware. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Turku, Finland, and her PhD is from UCLA. She is interested in children's attributions, school performance, and social competence.

Cynthia Ratekin

Cynthia Ratekin, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Chico State University where she directs the Child Development Laboratory Preschool. Her interests are in temperament and Down's Syndrome.

Barbara K. Keogh

Barbara K. Keogh, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology and Special Education at UCLA. Her research interests are in studies of at-risk and early identification of problem learners.

Lucinda Bernheimer

Lucinda Bernheimer, PhD, received her PhD from UCLA in Developmental Studies and Special Education. She is currently a senior research psychologist in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry where she is studying children with developmental delay and their families.