Synopses & Reviews
This book examines the role of peer relationships in child and adolescent development by tracking research findings from the early 1900s to the present. Dividing the research into three generations, the book describes what has been learned about childrens peer relations and how childrens participation in peer relationships contributes to their health, adjustment, and achievement.Gary W. Ladd reviews and interprets the investigative focus and findings of distinct research eras to highlight theoretical or empirical breakthroughs in the study of childrens peer relations and social competence over the last century. He also discusses how this information is relevant to understanding and promoting childrens health and development. In a final chapter, the author appraises the major discoveries that have emerged during the three research generations and analyzes recent scientific agendas and discoveries in the peer relations discipline.
Review
"Gary Ladd's impressive scholarship makes this essential reading for beginning researchers and senior scholars alike. The field of social development needed this kind of comprehensive treatment and Professor Ladd has written a truly remarkable book."—Steven Asher, Professor of Psychology, Duke University
Review
"A thorough review of our understanding of the development of social competence over the past century. The scope is quite remarkable, and it will be an excellent resource for graduate study in the field."—Shelley Hymel, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of British Columbia
Review
"A first-rate volume—well-written, comprehensive, and scholarly, it makes a clear and compelling case for the importance of peer relationships for children's development."—Ross D. Parke, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside
About the Author
GARY W. LADD is professor of psychology and of human development at Arizona State University. He is also director of the Pathways Project, a long-term study of children from kindergarten through high school.