Abstract
This study examined adolescents’ patterns of beliefs about aggression, and how these patterns relate to aggressive and prosocial
behavior, and to risk factors associated with aggression. A sample of 477 sixth graders from two urban schools and a school
in a nearby county completed measures of beliefs, behavior, and individual, peer and parental factors associated with aggression.
Teacher ratings of participants’ behavior and emotion regulation were also obtained. The urban sample was 84% African American;
the county school was in a rural fringe area with a student population that was 45% Caucasian and 40% African American. Latent
class analysis of items on a beliefs measure supported hypotheses predicting three groups: (a) a Beliefs Against Fighting
(BAGF) group that opposed the use of aggression (31% of the sample); (b) a Fighting is Sometimes Necessary (FSNEC) group that
endorsed beliefs that fighting is sometimes necessary or inevitable (41%), and (c) a Beliefs Supporting Fighting (BSUPF) group
that supported aggression across multiple contexts (28%). Differences across groups were found on race/ethnicity and family
structure, but not on gender. Significant differences were also found such that the FSNEC group fell between levels of the
BAGF and BSUPF groups on most measures. In contrast, the FSNEC and BAGF groups both differed from the BSUPF group, but not
from each other on measures of empathy, perceived effectiveness of nonviolence and aggression, and parental messages supporting
nonviolence. These differences suggest the need for tailoring prevention approaches for subgroups of adolescents who differ
in their patterns of beliefs.
behavior, and to risk factors associated with aggression. A sample of 477 sixth graders from two urban schools and a school
in a nearby county completed measures of beliefs, behavior, and individual, peer and parental factors associated with aggression.
Teacher ratings of participants’ behavior and emotion regulation were also obtained. The urban sample was 84% African American;
the county school was in a rural fringe area with a student population that was 45% Caucasian and 40% African American. Latent
class analysis of items on a beliefs measure supported hypotheses predicting three groups: (a) a Beliefs Against Fighting
(BAGF) group that opposed the use of aggression (31% of the sample); (b) a Fighting is Sometimes Necessary (FSNEC) group that
endorsed beliefs that fighting is sometimes necessary or inevitable (41%), and (c) a Beliefs Supporting Fighting (BSUPF) group
that supported aggression across multiple contexts (28%). Differences across groups were found on race/ethnicity and family
structure, but not on gender. Significant differences were also found such that the FSNEC group fell between levels of the
BAGF and BSUPF groups on most measures. In contrast, the FSNEC and BAGF groups both differed from the BSUPF group, but not
from each other on measures of empathy, perceived effectiveness of nonviolence and aggression, and parental messages supporting
nonviolence. These differences suggest the need for tailoring prevention approaches for subgroups of adolescents who differ
in their patterns of beliefs.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-16
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9609-0
- Authors
- Albert D. Farrell, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Amie Bettencourt, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Sally Mays, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Alison Kramer, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Terri Sullivan, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Wendy Kliewer, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627