A Multitrait–Multimethod Approach to Assessing Childhood Aggression and Related Constructs

Data were collected about 95 fourth-grade and fifth-grade children from three sources (teachers, parents, and children) on four constructs related to aggression (proactive aggression, reactive aggression, callous–unemotional traits, and anger dysregulation) by using a multitrait–multimethod design. Two goals were addressed through a correlated-trait–correlated-method analysis: (a) Investigate the overlap versus distinctiveness of proactive aggression, reactive aggression, callous–unemotional traits, and anger dysregulation by examining the correlations among their trait factors. (b) Investigate the extent to which the informant who assessed children’s aggression was associated with the rating given. Moderate-to-strong trait factor correlations emerged among all pairs of latent trait factors, suggesting at best modest discriminant validity among the constructs. The informant played a significant role for almost all ratings; however, teachers’ ratings were the most strongly linked to method variance, and children’s ratings provided the most convergent validity with other sources. Findings are discussed in terms of enhanced assessment of childhood aggression

The Psychophysiology Supporting Children’s Constructive Responses to Peer Provocation

The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that, when children respond to peer provocation assertively, their physiology at that moment will be marked by high levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Participants were 35 European American (66%), African American (27%), Latino American (3%), and mixed race/ethnicity (3%) children (16 girls and 19 boys; Mage = 11.35 years) from a Mid-Atlantic state. Children participated in a novel procedure in which they were provoked by and responded to a virtual peer while their RSA was assessed and behavioral responses were observationally coded. When RSA increased by one unit, children were about 17 times more likely to display at least one assertive response. These findings highlight the importance of RSA in children’s calm, composed, and assertive responding to peer provocation, as well as the importance of linking children’s behavior and physiology as they occur at the same moment

The Psychophysiology Supporting Children’s Constructive Responses to Peer Provocation

The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that, when children respond to peer provocation assertively, their physiology at that moment will be marked by high levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Participants were 35 European American (66%), African American (27%), Latino American (3%), and mixed race/ethnicity (3%) children (16 girls and 19 boys; Mage = 11.35 years) from a Mid-Atlantic state. Children participated in a novel procedure in which they were provoked by and responded to a virtual peer while their RSA was assessed and behavioral responses were observationally coded. When RSA increased by one unit, children were about 17 times more likely to display at least one assertive response. These findings highlight the importance of RSA in children’s calm, composed, and assertive responding to peer provocation, as well as the importance of linking children’s behavior and physiology as they occur at the same moment