In a prospective, longitudinal study with community samples of disruptive and nondisruptive
children, the predictive relations between peer-assessed dimensions of behavioral reputation
in elementary school and teacher-rated behavioral adjustment and test scores of academic
achievement were examined over a 4-year period. The Revised Class Play (RCP), a social
role matching instrument completed by students about their classmates, was used to assess
behavioral dimensions of children's peer reputation at baseline. Regression analyses showed
that the RCP dimensions of aggressive-disruptive, sensitive-isolated, and social etiquette
were the best predictors of later teacher-rated externalizing problems, internalizing problems,
and subsequent adaptive skills respectively. Only IQ predicted later academic achievement.
When IQ and disruptive/nondisruptive group status were added to each regression equation
they further contributed as significant predictors. When parent and teacher ratings of
behavior problems at baseline were entered jointly with RCP dimensions into regression
equations, the peer dimensions further explained outcome variance. Additive effects of the
RCP dimensions were found only for the externalizing problems outcome. Disruptive
children with mild levels of aggressive behavior and high levels of sensitive-isolated behavior
had less externalizing problems at outcome. A comparison of the difference between
disruptive and nondisruptive groups in the relationship of baseline RCP scores to teacher
outcomes showed no difference between groups, suggesting that the groups did not depart
appreciably from their initial differences relative to each other over time.