Ratings as Validation of Sociometric Status Determined by Nominations in Longitudinal Research

The current methods for two-dimensional sociometric status classification into five categories are based on nominations. Recently, Maassen et al. (1996) showed that such a classification can also be achieved by means of rating-scales. Ratings have been known for some time to be more reliable than nominations, an important consideration in longitudinal research. We report an investigation among school pupils, who were assessed by their classmates by means of nominations at three moments, with an interval of one year between the measurements. The sample consisted of 157 children with a mean age of 7 years and 7 months at the third moment. We demonstrate how status passages assessed by means of nominations can be validated by an extra assessment with ratings. Particular attention is paid to passages from and into the category of rejected children.