Abused children--Attitudes

Children nominated same-sex, same-grade peers on aggression, victimization, friendship, and behavioral characteristics. Results showed that aggressive children did not have fewer friends, but did have more enemies than nonaggressive children. Victimized children had fewer friends and more enemies than nonvictimized children. It was also shown that aggressive children's friends are also aggressive and victimized children's friends are other victims. Children who were both aggressive and victimized were perceived as the most disruptive and least liked of all children. It was found that children's friends are indeed similar to them while their enemies are dissimilar.