Longitudinal associations between clique membership status and internalizing and externalizing problems during late childhood.

This study examined the longitudinal link between clique membership status and the development of psychopathology in 451 children followed annually from age 9 to 12 years. Classroom clique membership status was identified through social network analysis, and internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed using peer nominations. Controlling for concurrent experiences of social preference and dyadic friendships, a high clique membership probability was found to be related to low levels of internalizing problems and to an increase in externalizing problems across 4 years. This link between clique membership and an increase in externalizing problems was found for boys only.