Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

6066

Date

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

Concentration

Clinical Psychology

Committee Chair

Robert Cohen

Committee Member

Kristoffer Scott Berlin

Committee Member

Kathryn Howell

Abstract

Managing anger is important for successful peer relations. The present research examined the association between a child telling a friend when they felt angry, how much better they felt after telling, and peer nominated sociability. Children in Grades 3-5 (males = 94, females = 107) participated (IRB approved) with data collected in group, classroom sessions. Peer nominations for sociability behaviors were assessed (unlimited nominations; no self-nominations). Self-reports of extent of telling friends when angry, perceived benefit of telling a friend when angry, and extent of feeling angry over the last month were collected as well as assessment of classroom mutual (reciprocated) friendship nominations. A multigroup (Gender) path analysis was conducted using Mplus 8.0. Number of mutual friends was significantly (positively) related to peer sociability. Gender differences were found in the way sharing anger with friends related to peer sociability. How frequently boys reported feeling angry in a month was significantly (positively) related to peer sociability. For girls, perception of the effectiveness of sharing feelings of anger was significantly related to peer nominated sociability. There was also a significant indirect effect of girls’ perception of the effectiveness of sharing feelings of anger and peer nominated sociability with the extent to which girls shared feelings of anger mediating this association. Findings are discussed in terms of how gender differences in the nature of friendship relationships relate to the role of sharing anger with friends and peer sociability.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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