A short-term longitudinal study of growth of relational aggression during middle childhood: associations with gender, friendship intimacy, and internalizing problems.

Full Abstract

Trajectories of relational aggression were examined in a large, diverse sample of fourth-grade students. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine relational aggression over 1 calendar year. The results indicated that relational aggression increased in a linear fashion for girls over the course of the study. In addition, increases in friend intimate exchange were associated with time-dependent increases in relational aggression among girls only. Relational aggression and internalizing "tracked" together across the course of the study. Overall, the findings suggest relational aggression becomes increasingly common among elementary school girls, and girls' close, dyadic relationships may fuel relationally aggressive behavior in some contexts. Finally, the results indicate that relational aggression trajectories are dynamically associated with maladjustment.

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Author information

Author/s: Murray-Close, Dianna (D); Ostrov, Jamie M (JM); Crick, Nicki R (NR);

Affiliation: University of Minnesota, USA. murr0139(-atsign-)umn.edu

Grants: MH63684 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Development and psychopathology (Dev Psychopathol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-; vol 19 (issue 1) : pp 187-203

Dates: Created 2007/01/23; Completed 2007/06/12; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17241490, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aggression - psychology
Child
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Friends
Humans
Interpersonal Relations

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