What is the impact on socially vulnerable children receiving targeted friendship support?

Abstract

This study explored the impact of a targeted friendship support intervention on socially vulnerable children identified as ‘rejected’[1] or ‘controversial’[1], through sociogram (a technique used to map the hidden structures of social groups, focusing on the emotional and interpersonal relationships between individuals) analysis. Ethical approval was provided by the executive team and respective head teachers within a large multi-academy trust in the East Midlands. Drawing on ecological and social information processing theories, it examined differences in prosocial skill development and peer engagement. Forty-five children aged six to seven participated, and a mixed-methods approach was used, including paired samples t-tests and thematic analysis. Self-report and teacher measures showed statistically significant prosocial gains in ‘controversial children’ and teacher-reported improvements in ‘rejected children’. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed the themes of emotional intelligence, kindness, turn-taking, and social awareness. Rejected children showed connection-seeking behaviours, while controversial children had mixed peer responses. Overall, 71% showed improved sociogram classifications, with future research suggested on gender influences and a longitudinal follow-up.