Kindergarten social hierarchies were determined using a modification of a naturalistic behavioral observation method developed to assess individual dominance positions in preschool classrooms (Strayer & Trudel, 1984). Classroom interactions were observed during the winter months of the kindergarten year (prior to the spring assessment of externalizing symptoms) during structured, semi structured, and free play activities. Social dominance was operationally defined as a pattern of repeated interactions in which the outcome consistently favors the same dyad member (Drews, 1993). Research assistants underwent training in the recognition and scoring of a range of dominance-subordination behaviors, which included object and attention acquisition
