Children's Peer Relations (Psychology Revivals)

The relationships children form with each other are important not only to childhood happiness but also to healthy adult functioning. Originally published in 1998, Phillip Slee and Ken Rigby presented an up-to-date overview of the latest findings in this area at the time, with reviews of current theory, research and intervention strategies across a wide range of topics from an international group of researchers and clinicians.

Children’s Peer Relations includes sections on peer status, gender and ethnicity, disability, illness and loneliness with particular attention to the question of how children’s peer relations can best be described and evaluated. There is also critical examination of methods of intervention to improve children’s relations with others in school, family and community. Children’s Peer Relations provided social researchers, school counsellors, psychologists and students of child development with a comprehensive handbook on this crucial topic. Today it can be read in its historical context.

Phillip T. Slee is Professor in Human Development (Emeritus) in the School of Education in the College of Education Psychology and Social Work at Flinders University of South Australia. He is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. His publications are in the fields of child development, bullying, school violence and wellbeing. He has extensive research and statistical analysis skills including multi-level modelling and qualitative data analysis. He has a particular interest in the practical and policy implications of his research. His research teams have undertaken national and international consultancies. His website is http://www.caper.com.au

Ken Rigby, BSc. (Econ) PhD, OAM, is an adjunct professor of social psychology at the University of South Australia, engaged since 1969 as a lecturer in Psychology and as a social researcher. Before that, he was employed in schools for 10 years as a schoolteacher, first in England and then in Australia. For his research into school bullying and engagement with schools, he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2021. He has published widely in academic journals (over 100 publications) and 23 books including an autobiography, Oddly Enough, in 2023.