Prosocial peer relationships, such as defending against victimization, are beneficial for integration. Using the concept of multiple categorization, this study considers the extent to which similarity in gender, being in the same classroom, and similarity in network position regarding bullying or victimization contributes to the formation of cross-ethnic defending relationships among children. Longitudinal social network models were applied to complete school-level networks of 1,325 children in eight multi-ethnic elementary schools. Although same-ethnic peers were more likely to defend each other than cross-ethnic peers, similarity in gender, being in the same classroom, and similarity in network position in bullying fostered cross-ethnic defending. Moreover, being in the same classroom increased the likelihood of cross-ethnic defending even more than it did same-ethnic defending. A better understanding of how multiple categorization contributes to positive relationships between peers of different ethnic backgrounds may help to promote interethnic integration in multi-ethnic classrooms.

亲社会的同伴关系，例如防止受害，有利于融入。本研究使用多重分类的概念，考虑在欺凌或受害方面的性别相似性、在同一班级中以及网络位置相似性对儿童之间跨种族保护关系形成的贡献程度。纵向社交网络模型被应用于8所多民族小学的1325名儿童的完整校级网络。尽管同种族同龄人比跨种族同龄人更可能互相保护，但性别的相似性、在同一个教室里以及欺凌中网络地位的相似性促进了跨种族的防御。而且，在同一个教室里，跨种族防御的可能性比同种族防御的可能性更大。更好地理解多重分类如何促进不同种族背景的同龄人之间的积极关系可能有助于促进多种族课堂中的种族融合。