The relationships of deviant talk and role taking during peer
interaction, association with deviant peers, and growth in overt and
covert conduct problems during kindergarten and first grade were examined
in a community sample of 267 boys and girls. At entry to kindergarten,
high levels of overt and covert conduct problems predicted association
with deviant peers, and deviant peer association predicted deviant talk
and role taking during peer interaction during kindergarten. Association
with deviant peers, and deviant talk and role taking predicted growth in
overt and covert conduct problems on the playground, in the classroom, and
at home during kindergarten and first grade. Peer processes associated
with growth in conduct problems that escalate rapidly during late
childhood and adolescence appear to occur in earlier childhood. These peer
processes may play a central role in the evolution of conduct problems to
include covert as well as overt forms.This
research was supported by National Institute of Health Grant
MH57342.