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Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between peer-nominated unsociability and self-perceptions of social dissatisfaction in children, with a focus on the moderating effect of the importance of belonging. Prior research on children who are identified as unsociable has yielded varied results on the relation between unsociability and social dissatisfaction. This study extends these findings by examining social dissatisfaction at both the dyadic and network levels, while considering individual differences in the importance of belonging. Results indicated that unsociability is associated with higher levels of network dissatisfaction but not dyadic dissatisfaction, suggesting that children who are unsociable still maintain satisfactory dyadic friendships but they have fewer connections across the peer network. Importantly, the study finds that the importance of belonging moderates this relationship. Specifically, children who are unsociable who place higher importance on belonging report lower levels of social dissatisfaction, indicating that the need to belong might motivate social behavior that mitigates the negative outcomes associated with social withdrawal.