Predictors and Outcomes Associated with Trajectories of Revenge Goals from Fourth Grade through Seventh Grade

The present study identified longitudinal trajectories of revenge goals in a sample of at-risk youth (N = 240; 63.3% male) followed from fourth grade through seventh grade. Three revenge goal trajectory groups were identified:
a low-stable group, an increasing group, and a decreasing group. The increasing and decreasing groups were initially more
behaviorally and affectively dysregulated and believed that aggression would gain them more rewards relative to the low-stable
group. The increasing group was also more fearfully reactive compared to the decreasing group. Revenge goal trajectory groups
also predicted trajectories of reactive and proactive aggression from 4th through 7th grade. The increasing group was more
reactively aggressive and depressed and had poorer social skills in 8th grade compared to the other groups. Together, results
highlight the importance of considering revenge motivations as an indicator of risk and a potential focus for intervention.