The Relationship between Group Class Integration, Socio-emotional Abilities and Disruptive Behaviours Peer Group Integration Factors

Introduction: School is a socializing environment where a substantial part of children’s socio-emotional development takes place. For many children, their school years are imbued with experiences of rejection by their peers and feelings that the teacher also berates them constantly. But the role that social-emotional skills and disruptive behaviours play in these experiences is not clear. Methodology: This study analyses the relationship between integration in the class group, social-emotional skills and disruptive behaviours in a sample of 149 pupils between the ages of 10 and 12 years, using an EQI test, sociometric test, and a teacher questionnaire. Data analysis has been done using statistic descriptive and inferential tests. Results: The results show that socio-empathy and self-assessment are the best predictors for reciprocity in peer group relationships. Emotional intelligence and disruptive behaviours have a mild effect on peer acceptance and rejection. But there are differences in the rejection factors depending on sex. The most rejected boys are the ones who have poorer emotional intelligence and who overvalue selection by their peers. The most rejected girls are the ones who are less open to the group and make fewer selections. These girls also seem to exhibit lower adaptability than girls more open to the group. Conclusions: In peer acceptance there are multiple factors involved that have synergic effects, creating a loop that could magnify the differences in children’s social abilities and in the construction of their peer social network throughout their development.