Richard Taffe, PhDRichard Taffe, PhDCharles Sturt University, Albury, NSW.Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW.

Listening to the voices of the socially marginalised: Listening to the voices of the socially marginalised: Perceptions, reality and the view from the Perceptions, reality and the view from the playground.playground.

The aim of the The aim of the presentationpresentation

Brief background to the studyBrief background to the study Understanding rejectionUnderstanding rejection Case studies of extreme rejectionCase studies of extreme rejection Principal effects of prolonged, Principal effects of prolonged,

extreme rejectionextreme rejection ImplicationsImplications

Describing the peer Describing the peer relations experiencerelations experience

PopularPopular AverageAverage NeglectedNeglected ControversialControversial RejectedRejected

Understanding rejectionUnderstanding rejection

Peer rejection is associated withPeer rejection is associated with a range of a range of interpersonal and intrapersonal problems, interpersonal and intrapersonal problems, for examplefor example::

difficulties joining in games and playing difficulties joining in games and playing by the rulesby the rules

an inability to resolve conflictan inability to resolve conflict lonelinessloneliness depressiondepression social anxiety and despairsocial anxiety and despair

Understanding rejectionUnderstanding rejection

A consistent finding in research over A consistent finding in research over the past 40 years has indicated that the past 40 years has indicated that negative peer relations in childhood are negative peer relations in childhood are predictive of negative long term predictive of negative long term outcomes such asoutcomes such as

low self-esteem low self-esteem dropping out of schooldropping out of school antisocial behaviour antisocial behaviour delinquency delinquency adult criminalityadult criminality

Understanding rejectionUnderstanding rejection

All children will experience some All children will experience some form of rejection during their school form of rejection during their school liveslives

Most children’s experience of Most children’s experience of rejection will be briefrejection will be brief

For some children, rejection is For some children, rejection is extreme and prolongedextreme and prolonged

Understanding RejectionUnderstanding Rejection

Estimates of peer rejection varyEstimates of peer rejection vary Most modern estimates would be Most modern estimates would be

around 1-2 children per classroomaround 1-2 children per classroom Of those children identified as Of those children identified as

rejected in the first year of school rejected in the first year of school 50% remain rejected 50% remain rejected sixsix years later. years later.

Understanding RejectionUnderstanding Rejection

Children rejected by their peers fall Children rejected by their peers fall into two main sub-types:into two main sub-types:

Rejected (non-aggressive)Rejected (non-aggressive)

Aggressive-RejectedAggressive-Rejected

Treating the Aggressive-Treating the Aggressive-rejected childrejected child

Highly resistant to standard Highly resistant to standard behaviour modificationbehaviour modification

Low level of adoption of new or Low level of adoption of new or improved behavioursimproved behaviours

Treatment effects often don’t lastTreatment effects often don’t last

The present studyThe present study

Typical Social Skills Training Typical Social Skills Training program:program:

Clinical training programClinical training program Peer modelling, self-as-model Peer modelling, self-as-model

sessionssessions Classroom programClassroom program Self-monitoring in class and Self-monitoring in class and

playgroundplayground

Case studiesCase studies

Firstly, a desire to examine more Firstly, a desire to examine more closely those cases where children closely those cases where children remained rejected or their rejection remained rejected or their rejection deepened over the course of the deepened over the course of the study.study.

Secondly, a need to listen to the Secondly, a need to listen to the voices of those intimately involved voices of those intimately involved with the experience of rejection. with the experience of rejection.

Sources of dataSources of data

Children who partnered aggressive-Children who partnered aggressive-rejected children in the studyrejected children in the study

Other children from their classroomOther children from their classroom Classroom teachersClassroom teachers ParentsParents Aggressive-rejected children Aggressive-rejected children

themselvesthemselves

Teacher thoughts about Teacher thoughts about targetstargets

Responses were Responses were oftenoften negative and negative and occasionally reflected hostility toward the childoccasionally reflected hostility toward the child

Many responses indicated that teachers had Many responses indicated that teachers had become exasperated with target children’s become exasperated with target children’s behaviour and how this was affecting the behaviour and how this was affecting the classroom atmosphereclassroom atmosphere

Teachers were often inclined to accept and Teachers were often inclined to accept and pass on reputational information about pass on reputational information about rejected childrenrejected children

Many teachers appeared to harbour grudges Many teachers appeared to harbour grudges against particular childrenagainst particular children

Most teachers believed that rejected children Most teachers believed that rejected children were academically weak or lazy were academically weak or lazy

Teachers’ views of Teachers’ views of targetstargets

T: He’s been to the paediatrician, as I said, and [the paediatrician] has actually said that Dennis has got very low self-esteem and he needs to be getting more in the classroom. But it’s really hard to give that to Dennis because he doesn’t give you anything to reward.

What peers were What peers were thinking about targetsthinking about targets

Stories aplenty about violent or aggressive behaviourStories aplenty about violent or aggressive behaviour ‘‘Doesn’t play fair’, ‘cheats’, ‘starts a fight when he loses’Doesn’t play fair’, ‘cheats’, ‘starts a fight when he loses’When probed for more detail:When probed for more detail: PeersPeers sometimessometimes found it hard to describe clearly or found it hard to describe clearly or

recall the details of occurrences of the target child’s recall the details of occurrences of the target child’s misdemeanours (including their own encounters with misdemeanours (including their own encounters with such children)such children)

Claims re target’s aggression were sometimes based on Claims re target’s aggression were sometimes based on hearsayhearsay

Concerns about targets often related to classroom Concerns about targets often related to classroom incidents, especially teacher-child interactions, incidents, especially teacher-child interactions, notnot peer-to-peer playground incidentspeer-to-peer playground incidents

Targets were often ignored or actively avoided in the Targets were often ignored or actively avoided in the playground playground

Children’s views of targets…Children’s views of targets…

Int: What do you think people might like about Dennis?Jeremy: I don’t really know because he’s usually naughty in class.

And later…Int: What do you think Dennis could do to make people like him more? J: He could be… more better in class.Int: What else could he do in the playground so that people would like him more and let him join their games?J: He’s not usually naughty outside. Only sometimes.

What the aggressive-What the aggressive-rejected said about rejected said about

themselvesthemselvesInterviewer: What sorts of things do you and your friends like to do? Marcus: I don’t really have any friends.

And later…Int: When is it easy to play a game and have fun with other

kids?Marcus: It’s never easy for me…Int: When is it hard to play a game and have fun with other

kids?Marcus: Nearly always.Int: Why is it hard? Can you tell me why it’s hard?Marcus: Because everybody thinks I’m going to tackle them and be

rough.

The aggressive-rejectedThe aggressive-rejected

Other rejectees expressed similar concerns.Int: When is it hard to play a game and have fun with other kids?Shane: Every day at school.Int: Can you tell me why it’s hard?Shane: Because sometimes they don’t want to play with you because they’re playing with other kids.

The aggressive-rejectedThe aggressive-rejected

Sadly, some children had actually begun to internalise their reputation with peers:

Interviewer: Is there someone you don’t like at school?

Marcus: Myself.

Cases that were resistant Cases that were resistant to treatment effectsto treatment effects

Playground experiences were unfulfillingPlayground experiences were unfulfilling Relationship with teachers was poorRelationship with teachers was poor Discipline measures meant that they Discipline measures meant that they

spent periods of time isolated from peersspent periods of time isolated from peers There was a depressing sameness about There was a depressing sameness about

their negative school experience every their negative school experience every day of the week.day of the week.

Few opportunities to socialise with other Few opportunities to socialise with other children outside schoolchildren outside school

Cases that were resistant Cases that were resistant to treatment effectsto treatment effects

LonelyLonely MisunderstoodMisunderstood Depressed about their social Depressed about their social

situationsituation Socially anxiousSocially anxious VictimizedVictimized PowerlessPowerless

Issues arising from the Issues arising from the casescases

Reputational Reputational effectseffects

ExclusionExclusion

ReputationReputation Status as an ‘aggressive kid’ is often maintained Status as an ‘aggressive kid’ is often maintained

through hearsaythrough hearsay ‘‘Aggressive’ rejected children’s behaviour is Aggressive’ rejected children’s behaviour is

interpreted differently to other children’s interpreted differently to other children’s behaviour (by peers behaviour (by peers andand adults) adults)

School (and class) level processes can make School (and class) level processes can make instances of rule violations highly conspicuous instances of rule violations highly conspicuous leading to a deepening of reputational effect.leading to a deepening of reputational effect.

Teachers participate in practices that promote Teachers participate in practices that promote reputation-building and consolidation.reputation-building and consolidation.

Classrooms (and schools) are interpersonal Classrooms (and schools) are interpersonal ‘hothouses’. It is hard to escape the reputation ‘hothouses’. It is hard to escape the reputation established in these environments.established in these environments.

ExclusionExclusion

Excluded children have reduced opportunities Excluded children have reduced opportunities to interact with others and practise social to interact with others and practise social skillsskills

Induces a sense of Induces a sense of learned helplessnesslearned helplessness with with respect to attempts to act prosocially respect to attempts to act prosocially

Accentuates their ‘difference’ and enhances Accentuates their ‘difference’ and enhances reputational effectsreputational effects

Increases the sense of alienation from the peer Increases the sense of alienation from the peer group, the class and the schoolgroup, the class and the school

Increased alienation may lead to rejection of Increased alienation may lead to rejection of socially approved standards of behavioursocially approved standards of behaviour

What this means for our What this means for our understanding of aggressive-understanding of aggressive-

rejected childrenrejected children We need to look carefully at the systems that We need to look carefully at the systems that

maintain children’s maintain children’s social social status in schoolsstatus in schools Intervention models that focus only on the Intervention models that focus only on the

individual ‘dysfunctional’ child need to be individual ‘dysfunctional’ child need to be revisedrevised

How we look at children who are aggressive-How we look at children who are aggressive-rejected needs to be changedrejected needs to be changed

Are they ‘Architects of their own downfall’ or Are they ‘Architects of their own downfall’ or ‘victims of circumstance’?‘victims of circumstance’?

The role of social context and especially The role of social context and especially classroom teachers needs to be carefully classroom teachers needs to be carefully evaluatedevaluated

Turning things around for the Turning things around for the aggressive-rejected aggressive-rejected

A greater emphasis on relationship-building in A greater emphasis on relationship-building in teacher education programs.teacher education programs.

Adoption of relationship-building approaches to Adoption of relationship-building approaches to education in schools (cooperative learning, class education in schools (cooperative learning, class projects, school-wide citizenship, cross-grade projects, school-wide citizenship, cross-grade activities).activities).

Sensitizing peer groups to the anatomy of Sensitizing peer groups to the anatomy of interpersonal relations (e.g., talking about how to interpersonal relations (e.g., talking about how to make friends, how to share, take turns; what to make friends, how to share, take turns; what to do if someone do if someone doesn’tdoesn’t want to play with you, want to play with you, share etc).share etc).

Intervention must be focussed on the child Intervention must be focussed on the child in in contextcontext. Interventions are unlikely to work when . Interventions are unlikely to work when the effects at the classroom and school level are the effects at the classroom and school level are ignored or underestimated.ignored or underestimated.