PEER-PERCEIVED SOCIAL COMPETENCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF LOW-LEVEL EDUCATED YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

This study focuses on the relationship between peer-rated social competence and academic success among teenagers of the lowest level of Dutch general secondary education. At this educational level, an uninterested or even a mildly depreciative attitude toward academic achievements is anticipated. As a result, it is expected that the relationship between academic performance and peer-perceived social competence should be void or even negative. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 157 youths, 76 boys and 81 girls between 14 and 17 years. This sample showed a predominantly negative attitude toward academic achievements. The correlations between peer-rated social competence and various measures of academic competence were void or even negative. A significant negative correlation is found with respect to achievements in mathematics and physics. The poorest school achievements are found among a small category of children who have received mainly neutral peer-judgments of social competence.