Homophily, a term used to describe the tendency to associate with similar others, serves as a basis for attraction among children. The converse may also be true. Dissimilarity appears to contribute to dislike. In one of the only published studies to examine homophily and its converse, D. W. Nangle, C. A. Erdley, and J. A. Gold (1996) found that children were liked by peers who were similar to them in social status and behavioral style and disliked by peers who were dissimilar to them in social status and behavioral style. Examining gender influences, we were only able to partially replicate their findings in the present study. That is, evidence of homophily was found only for girls. In contrast, dissimilarity contributed to dislike for both genders, but was especially evident for boys. With respect to age, prosocial behavior appeared to have a more positive valence among younger girls. whereas aggressive behavior appeared to have a more negative valence among older boys. Attempts to reconcile these findings with those of the Nangle et al. (1996) investigation and the implications for understanding peer processes, gender influences, and behavior problems are discussed.

We developed and began construct validation of the Measure of Adolescent Heterosocial Competence (MAHC), a self-report instrument assessing the ability to negotiate effectively a range of challenging other-sex social interactions. Development followed the Goldfried and D'Zurilla (1969) behavioral-analytic model for assessing competence. Approximately 700 adolescents participated in 5 systematic studies. Studies 1 through 4 generated the MAHC item and response content, as well as the basis for response scoring. In the first 3 studies, extensive data were collected from the target population regarding problematic heterosocial situations and potential responses to those situations. In Study 4, expert jdudges rated the relative effectiveness of the adolescent-identified behavioral responses. In the final study, scale reliability and construct validity of the resulting 40-item multiple-choice self-report instrument were examined. Factor analysis yielded no interpretable factors, and the internal consistency of the total scale was acceptable (alpha =.73). Investigation of convergent and discriminant validity revealed that the MAHC was significantly related to measures of general social competence and anxiety in heterosexual situations and was not associated with a measure of socioeconomic status. Contrary to expectations, the MAHC was not correlated with peer ratings of social acceptance.

Heterosocial interactions, or social interactions with other-sex peers, are theorized to serve a number of unique developmental functions for adolescents (e.g., companionship, intimacy, experimentation with sex-role behaviors and sexual activity). Yet despite the importance of heterosocial competence in adolescent social development, there exists little research on the construct. Early research, although informative, reflects a narrow focus on heterosocial anxiety associated with date initiation situations. More recent research has broadened its purview to include investigations of the relation of heterosocial competence to the normative development of romantic relationships, as well as depression, anxiety, and violence in adolescent relationships. To facilitate further research, an expanded, well-defined description of the construct of adolescent heterosocial competence is needed that includes other-sex interactions in casual relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships. In this article we detail the historical and current definitions of the construct and encourage a broader understanding in the context of the developmental psychopathology framework. We follow with a review of our decade-long efforts to better operationally define and assess the construct by summarizing the development and validation of two measures: The Measure of Adolescent Heterosocial Competence and the Measure of Adolescent Heterosocial Competence-Young Adult Version. Finally, we suggest directions for future research.

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