They like me, they like me not': popularity and adolescents' perceptions of acceptance predicting social functioning over time
Open accessAbstract
This study examined the dual roles of adolescents' perceptions of social acceptance and sociometric popularity in predicting relative changes over time in adolescents' social functioning. Observational, self-report, and peer report data were obtained from 164 adolescents who were interviewed at age 13 years and then again at age 14 years, as well as their same-sex close friends. Adolescents who felt positively about their own social standing fared well over time, regardless of their level of sociometric popularity. Further, low popularity was particularly problematic for adolescents who failed to see themselves as fitting in. Results suggest that during adolescence, when it becomes increasingly possible for teens to choose their own social niches, it is possible to be socially successful without being broadly popular.
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Self-acceptance is critical in the teen years and may serve as a buffer in individuals who self-identity as socially disadvantaged in one or more domains.
“Moreover, self-acceptance is critical in the teen years and may serve as a buffer in individuals who self-identity as socially disadvantaged in one or more domains (e.g., status or popularity) (McElhaney et al., 2008).”
From A hope intervention for adolescents: a randomized controlled trial delivered by paraprofessionals (2025) · cites this paper as McElhaney et al., 2008
The Discussion says that confidence in one’s social standing acted as a protective factor: teens with high self-perceived social acceptance fared well whether peers rated them popular or unpopular. The paper studies perceived acceptance by peers, not general self-acceptance, and does not establish a buffering effect across multiple domains of self-identified disadvantage. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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- Authors
- McElhaney, K. B., Antonishak, J., & Allen, J. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Virginia (US)
- Corresponding author
- McElhaney, Kathleen B
- ORCID
- Allen, Joseph P
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2008-05-01
- Volume
- 79
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 720-731
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8624
- PMC
- PMC3073367
- OpenAlex
- W2141375376
- Cited by
- 193
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 7.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (2r01hd058305-17a1)
- National Institute of Mental Health (F31- MH65711-01, F31MH065711, R01MH044934, R01-MH44934, R01-MH58066, R01MH058066)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01-HD058305)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychosocial Factors Impacting Youth
- Keywords
- sociometric popularity, social acceptance, adolescents, social functioning, peer relationships, social status, social niche, longitudinal change
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Psychology, Adolescent, Aggression, Attitude, Female, Hostility, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Peer Group, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Self Concept, Social Behavior, Social Conformity, Social Desirability, Psychological Distance, Social Isolation, Social Perception, Social Support, Sociometric Techniques, Time Factors, Southeastern United States, Friends
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