Metaphor understanding is a pragmatic inferential skill that serves a social function in adulthood. The present longitudinal study was designed to investigate the existence and the direction of the associations between metaphor understanding and peer relationships in children. One-hundred twenty-six typically developing 9-year-old children were tested at baseline and a year later for their ability to understand metaphors (via the physical and mental metaphors task) and their peer relationships (through peer acceptance and rejection). Results showed a longitudinal and bidirectional association between metaphor understanding and peer rejection, but not peer acceptance. Children who were more rejected were less able to understand metaphors 1 year later and children who struggled in understanding metaphors were more rejected 1 year later. Results are discussed in light of existing theoretical models. Overall, these findings show that the social nature of metaphor traces back to peer relationships in children.

中文翻译：

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童年中期隐喻理解与同伴关系的纵向关联

隐喻理解是一种实用的推理技能，在成年后具有社会功能。本纵向研究旨在调查隐喻理解与儿童同伴关系之间关联的存在和方向。126 名正常发育的 9 岁儿童在基线和一年后接受了他们理解隐喻的能力（通过身体和心理隐喻任务）和他们的同伴关系（通过同伴接受和拒绝）的能力。结果显示隐喻理解和同伴拒绝之间存在纵向和双向关联，但不是同伴接受。被拒绝较多的孩子在一年后理解隐喻的能力较差，而在理解隐喻方面有困难的孩子在一年后被拒绝的较多。根据现有的理论模型讨论结果。总的来说，这些发现表明隐喻的社会性质可以追溯到儿童的同伴关系。