No abstract

This study used the latent class analysis (LCA) to identify and classify Chinese adolescent children's aggressive behaviors. It was found that (1) Adolescent children could be divided into four categories: general children, aggressive children, victimized children and aggressive victimized children. (2) There were significant gender differences among the aggressive victimized children, the aggressive children and the general children. Specifically, aggressive victimized children and aggressive children had greater probabilities of being boys; victimized children had equal probabilities of being boys or girls. (3) Significant differences in loneliness, depression, anxiety and academic achievement existed among the aggressive victims, the aggressor, the victims and the general children, in which the aggressive victims scored the worst in all questionaires. (4) As protective factors, peer and teacher supports had important influences on children's aggressive and victimized behaviors. Relative to general children, aggressive victims, aggressive children and victimized children had lower probabilities of receiving peer supports. On the other hand, compared to general children, aggressive victims had lower probabilities of receiving teacher supports; while significant differences in the probability of receiving teacher supports did not exist between aggressive children and victimized children.

No abstract

No abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the developmental trajectory and patterns of physical aggression and relational aggression over time, and also to examine the gender differences of the three-year developmental process as well as the impact of the developmental trajectory on mental health. Design/methodology/approach – Participants: the participants of this study were newly enrolled junior school students. The study spanned three years with continuous tracking performed once every other year. Measures: class play questionnaire. Aggressive behaviors were measured by an adaptive Chinese version of the revised class play assessment. Statistical analysis: to address the questions of the present study, the latent class growth model (LCGM) was used to analyze the three-year longitudinal data by Mplus 6.1. Findings – The initial level of physical aggression in boys was higher than that in girls. There were three types of developmental trajectory for boys, corresponding to a lower initial level-increasing group, a middle initial level-increasing group and a higher initial level-stable group. However, girls demonstrated different patterns, corresponding to a lower initial level-increasing group, a middle initial level-increasing group and a higher initial level-decreasing group. In contrast to the physical aggression, the initial level of relational aggression in boys was lower than that in girls. There were four types of developmental trajectory for boys, corresponding to a lower initial level-increasing group, a middle initial level-increasing group, a middle initial level-declining group and a higher initial level-declining group. Girls illustrated different patterns, corresponding to a lower initial level-stable group, a middle initial level-increasing group and a higher initial level-declining group. Different developmental trajectory of physical and relational aggression would influence the interpersonal relationship. Originality/value – This paper used a person-centered latent variable approach instead of the variable-centered approach to investigate the developmental trajectory and patterns of physical aggression and relational aggression over three year by employing the LCGM. The initial level of physical aggression in boys was higher than that in girls. In contrast, the initial level of relational aggression in boys was lower than that in girls. There were gender differences in the pattern of physical and relational aggression development trajectory. Different developmental trajectory of physical and relational aggression would influence the interpersonal relationship.

No abstract

No abstract

We examined the role of culture and social cynicism beliefs in the transference of an anxious attachment style from mother to romantic partner among a group of undergraduates from the US (n = 200) and Hong Kong (n = 147). The results showed that anxious attachment to mother and to partner was moderately correlated among both cultural groups. However, social cynicism beliefs were found to moderate the relationship between anxious attachment to mother and attachment to partner among U.S. but not Hong Kong Chinese participants. This observed differential effect of social cynicism beliefs could be explained by differences in self-direction values across the 2 cultural groups. The findings in the study are of theoretical significance as they provide insights for further research on the influences of cultural variables and personal beliefs on attachment transference.