The present study examined the hypothesis that negative self-schemas and a range of internalizing problems may be associated with social withdrawal in late childhood and early adolescence. Using in-school peer nominations from the Revised Class Play, 132 eleven- to thirteen-year-olds were classified as withdrawn (n = 40; 22 girls, 18 boys), aggressive (n = 41, 21 girls, 20 boys), or normative control (n = 51; 28 girls, 23 boys). Children completed a self-referent rating task (SRRT), as well as the Youth Self-Report (YSR). The groups were compared in terms of their YSR scores for internalizing problem subtypes, as well as their endorsement and recall of positive and negative descriptors from the SRRT. Compared to the other groups, socially withdrawn children/adolescents reported higher levels of each internalizing problem--that is, shy/withdrawn behaviors, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and somatic problems. Furthermore, although differences in recall for SRRT positive and negative descriptors were not found, socially withdrawn children endorsed fewer positive descriptors and more negative descriptors than did the normative control and aggressive groups. Moreover, fewer positive self-perceptions were a stronger discriminator between the groups than were more negative self perceptions. These findings were interpreted within a risk/protective framework of adjustment. (Contains 4 tables.)