Longitudinal associations between popularity, peer acceptance, and academic performance in adolescents

Longitudinal associations between popularity, peer acceptance, and academic performance were examined in Chinese 7th ( n = 880; 400 girls; M age = 13.33, SD = .64) and 10th grade ( n = 646; 342 girls; M age = 16.76, SD = .75) adolescents across three academic years. Growth curve analysis revealed parallel changes in popularity and academic performance in both middle- and high-school students whereas a positive association between the trajectories of peer acceptance and academic performance was found only in high school. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that popular students increased their academic performance 1 year later, and that improved academic performance positively predicted subsequent popularity. Changes in peer acceptance were not associated with longitudinal changes in academic performance nor did baseline aggression moderate the effect of initial popularity on the trajectory of academic performance. The positive between-person associations of academic performance with popularity and peer acceptance were greater in middle- than in high-school adolescents. These results have implications for understanding the positive and negative effects of peer status on academic adjustment.