Importance Ratings of Socially Supportive Behaviors by Children and Adolescents

The frequency of students' social support has been investigated in the literature, but little research has examined the social validity or social importance of supportive behaviors for children and adolescents. In the present study, data were gathered from 1,688 students in Grades 3 through 12 via the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS; Malecki, Demaray, Elliott, & Nolten, 1999). Results of the present study indicate that there are developmental (elementary, middle, and high school) and group (race, disability, and gender) differences in students' perceptions of the importance of socially supportive behaviors. Furthermore, descriptive analyses revealed interesting trends in the top-rated importance items for students in these known groups. Results are discussed with implications for research and practice.