ABSTRACT
Peer relations and close friendships play extremely important roles in youngsters’ social and emotional development. By the early school years, children spend most of their daytime hours in school or play settings with classmates and friends (Ellis, Rogoff, & Cromer, 1981). This trend continues, and accelerates, through adolescence. In fact, research has documented the developmentally unique social behaviors that develop in the context of children’s peer interactions (see Asher & Coie, 1990; Hartup, 1983, 1996; La Greca & Prinstein, 1999).
