A longitudinal study of forms and functions of aggressive behavior in early childhood

The purpose of this study was to investigate the distinct forms (i.e., physical and relational) and functions (i.e., proactive and reactive) of aggressive behavior during early childhood (n = 101; M age = 45.09 months). Forms, but not functions, of aggressive behavior were stable over time. A number of contributors to aggression were associated with distinct subtypes of aggressive behavior. Females and socially dominant children were more relationally aggressive and older children were less physically aggressive than their peers. Longitudinal analyses indicated that social dominance predicted decreases in physical aggression and peer exclusion predicted increases in relational aggression. Overall, the results provide support for the distinction between subtypes of aggression in early childhood

An observational study of delivered and received aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment in preschool: Abstract This White Crayon Doesn\u27t Work ...

A semi-structured observational study investigated gender differences in delivered and received relational, physical, verbal, and nonverbal aggression in a young preschool sample (N = 60). Findings revealed that gender differences in subtypes of aggression may be apparent as early as 3 years of age. Specifically, girls were found to deliver and receive more relational aggression than males, whereas boys tended, although not significantly, to deliver and significantly received more physical aggression than females. Relational and physical subtypes of delivered and received aggression were differentially associated with preschoolers\u27 social-psychological adjustment

Early parenting and children\u27s relational and physical aggression in the preschool and home contexts

This study investigated early parent- child relationships and how children\u27s use of relational and physical aggression varies with aspects of those relationships during the preschool years. Specifically, parenting styles, parents\u27 use of psychological control, and parents\u27 report of their children\u27s reunion behaviors were assessed. Analyses revealed significant associations between children\u27s use of both relational and physical aggression and parents\u27 reports of their own and their partner\u27s parenting style, psychological control behaviors, and indicators of the attachment relationship. The results highlight the importance of investigating both mothers\u27 and fathers\u27 parenting and the sex of the child in studies of potential links between parenting behaviors and young children’s relational and physical aggression. Findings were considered in the context of each perspective and suggestions for future research and implications for intervention and prevention are discussed

Risk factors for youth violence: Youth violence commission, International Society For Research On Aggression (ISRA)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144599/1/ab21766.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144599/2/ab21766_am.pd

Cortisol Moderates the Relation Between Physical Peer Victimization and Physical Aggression in Preschoolers Attending High-Quality Child Care: Evidence of Differential Susceptibility Across Informants

We examined whether the moderating role of cortisol in the relation between physical peer victimization and physical aggression was better accounted for by a diathesis–stress model or a differential susceptibility model using a multiinformant approach (direct observations, teacher reports, and parent reports) of 198 preschool-aged children attending high-quality child care. Controlling for the influence of household income, hours per week in child care, and child age, we found that our results supported a differential susceptibility effect for boys but not for girls. This effect was replicated within reporters (observer and parent reports) and across reporters (parent-reported victimization and teacher-rated aggression) but for boys only. At higher levels of peer victimization, lower levels of basal cortisol were associated with higher levels of physical aggression, but, at lower levels of peer victimization, lower levels of basal cortisol were associated with lower levels of physical aggression. Furthermore, at higher levels of peer victimization, higher levels of basal cortisol were associated with lower levels of physical aggression, but, at lower levels of peer victimization, higher levels of basal cortisol were associated with higher levels of physical aggression. These results highlight the complex interplay between the social environment and biobehavioral systems in early childhood and the value of considering a differential susceptibility framework in peer-relations research

Cross–cultural Validity of the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire Among Adults Across Five Countries

This study aims to test psychometric properties and factor invariance of the Reactive–Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ) for adults across five countries: Serbia (N = 409), Mauritius (N = 400), the United States (N = 389), the Netherlands (N = 372), and China (N = 325). The results supported the two–factor structure across country samples, with a marginal model fit in Mauritius. Results also supported the congruent factor structure of Reactive Aggression scale across countries, while the Proactive Aggression scale can be considered as equal across samples from Serbia, the United States, and China, but not from Mauritius and the Netherland. Among items from the Proactive Aggression scale, those referring to open aggression aimed at obtaining social status and dominance, frightening or harming others, obtained the highest loadings across all samples and could be considered as the good representatives of adult proactive aggression. This is the first study in which cross-cultural validation of the RPQ among adults has been tested and results suggested that there are some cultural differences in expression of proactive aggression