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Our results highlight the importance of studying aggressive behavior from a longitudinal perspective, taking into account sex differences and biological measures.

A maternal authoritarian style has been related to the development of physical aggression during childhood and later future social problems; however, not too many studies have detected other than individual or family factors that may buffer this maternal effect. This work examines whether daycare center attendance may moderate the relationships between a mother authoritarian style and physical aggression. The study sample was 72 (40 girls) kindergarten children from Spain. Parents were asked to complete two questionnaires focused on individual family characteristics and parenting styles. At age 5, children physical aggression was assessed by direct observation at playtime; aggression scores at 6 was obtained by a peer-rated questionnaire. A least squared multiple regression was performed after controlling for children’s level of physical aggression at 5, child sex and siblings. A positive contribution of maternal authoritarian style on physical aggression was detected. Daycare center attendance appears to attenuate the effect of the mother’s authoritarian style on physical aggression, only in boys.

In order to facilitate the comprehension of social structure in preschool children, our research has two foci: first, to define controlling behaviours (nonaggressive group organisation) and to determine their organisational principles, and second, to analyse the relation of the controlling behaviours with aggressive behaviours. Through direct observation, the behaviour of 90 preschoolers aged 4–5 years old during free playtime was registered. A correspondence analysis revealed that two organisational principles structure controlling relationships, one related to authority and another to acquiescence. The independence of these two dimensions suggests the existence of a social hierarchy in preschoolers’ playgroups based on controlling behaviour. No significant relation between authoritative and aggressive behaviours in 4-year-old children was detected, while 5-year-old children with high levels of authoritative behaviour were less aggressive than individuals with low levels. Our results point out that controlling activity is relevant in the organisation of preschool children’s social groups. Children’s goal development probably determines the change of the behavioural strategies that facilitate the evolution of social structure from aggressive to controlling hierarchies. We judge it necessary for research to focus on controlling interactions.

There is a peak in peer victimization during middle childhood, with multiple negative consequences. Parental use of corporal punishment and child aggression are the most widely studied predictors of this phenomenon. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether parental use of corporal punishment affects peer victimization through child aggression. This mediation model was explored for both mothers and fathers and for both physical and relational forms of aggression and peer victimization. Furthermore, we also analyzed whether the mediation models were moderated by the sex of the child. Participants were 234 third graders (46% girls). Child aggression and victimization were measured by peers using the Mini Direct Indirect Aggression Inventory. Independent measures of mother’s and father’s use of corporal punishment were obtained from a PCA of items from the Parental Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). Conditional process modeling was carried out using a macro for SPSS developed by Hayes (2013). Results indicated that aggression mediated the relation of parental corporal punishment to peer victimization. Some interesting moderating effects of sex in this mediation model were found; specifically, physical, and relational aggression mediated the relation of maternal corporal punishment to peer victimization only in boys. Few studies to date have addressed the connection between aggressive behavior and peer victimization as outcomes of corporal punishment, taking into consideration the role of parent’s and child’s sex, and both physical and relational forms of aggression and victimization during childhood.

We analyzed age differences in the behavioral profiles of the girls and boys chosen as play partners by same-and cross-sex peers at age 5 and the influence of these choices on subsequent behavior at 9 in a sample of 107 Spanish children. Girls chose girls who had an interest in resources and affective leadership, whereas boys chose boys interested in sport and rejected those preferring role-taking play. Both girls and boys who were preferred by boys at 5 showed low levels of maladaptive behaviors. We suggest that children's selection of the type of play and behavior of their same-sex peers could be considered a relevant mechanism for explaining the adaptive role of sex segregation during childhood.

According to the idea that the different roles children play in their first peer groups are important in their socialization, we approach a measure of social ability in preschool children using two indices: amplitude of behavior and amplitude of partnership. In this way we attempt to develop and validate a behavioral assessment of social competence based on diversity of social contacts and behavior. The study was carried out during 1989-90 at a grammar school in Cadiz (Spain) where the preschool children (n = 27) were filmed during 30 minutes of daily free play. In analyzing the relationships within all these elements, we used a multiple linear regression (BMDP I R-Dixon, 1985). Of eight behavioral patterns likely to influence social ability, two contributed significantly to individual differences in amplitude of behavior (leadership and follow-partner). Concerning behavioral factors, both prosocial and assertiveness are negatively related to the amplitude of partnership; and the behavioral factors that reflect assertiveness, prohierarchy and agonism are positively related to the amplitude of behavior. Although it is premature to predict children's future social success based on these data, both the amplitude of partnership and the amplitude of behavior probably give the child an advantage when he/she acquires an experience which allows him/herself to continue the process of socialization.