Abstract
The purpose of this short-term longitudinal study was to examine Chinese children’s trajectories of physical and relational
aggression and their association with social-psychological adjustment problems (i.e., depressive symptoms and delinquency)
and gender. Fourth and fifth grade children in Taiwan (n = 739, age 9–11) were followed across 1 year. Results of Linear Mixed Models demonstrated that, on average, relational aggression
increased in a linear fashion for fifth grade children and girls and physical aggression remained stable for boys and increased
linearly for fifth grade girls. Further, increases in relational aggression were associated with time-dependent increases
in depressive symptoms, and the effect size of this association seemed to be stronger than that of physical aggression. Findings
are discussed in the context of Chinese culture.
aggression and their association with social-psychological adjustment problems (i.e., depressive symptoms and delinquency)
and gender. Fourth and fifth grade children in Taiwan (n = 739, age 9–11) were followed across 1 year. Results of Linear Mixed Models demonstrated that, on average, relational aggression
increased in a linear fashion for fifth grade children and girls and physical aggression remained stable for boys and increased
linearly for fifth grade girls. Further, increases in relational aggression were associated with time-dependent increases
in depressive symptoms, and the effect size of this association seemed to be stronger than that of physical aggression. Findings
are discussed in the context of Chinese culture.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-012-9633-8
- Authors
- Yoshito Kawabata, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, USA
- Wan-Ling Tseng, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, USA
- Dianna Murray-Close, Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, USA
- Nicki R. Crick, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627