Contextual influences on the relations between physical and relational aggression and peer victimization

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that several contextual factors influence the relationship between aggression and peer victimization in early adolescence, including gender of the same-sex peer group and gender composition of the school. The current study replicated and expanded on this research by examining the moderating influences of gender of the same-sex peer group, same-sex peer group norms, and classroom gender composition in a sample of early adolescents from Barranquilla, Colombia. Multilevel modeling analyses indicated that both relational and physical aggression were positive predictors of peer victimization. Relationally aggressive girls were at a lower risk for victimization while physically aggressive girls were at a higher risk. Relational aggression was a weaker predictor in classes with a larger proportion of girls. Additionally, relational aggression was a weaker predictor in same-sex peer groups with a greater prevalence of relational aggression. These findings provide further evidence of multiple forms of contextual influence on social behavior. Practical implications for these findings are also provided.

The examination of authoritarian parenting styles, specific forms of peer-victimization, and reactive aggression in Hong Kong Youth

“…Both demographic and experiential variables have been examined in connection with reactive aggression. Demographic variables include age (Jankauskiene, Kardelis, Sukys, & Kardeliene, 2008), gender (Ford, Fraleigh, & Connor, 2010; Gini, & Pozzoli, 2006; Kempes, Matthys, Maassen, van Goozen, & van Engeland, 2006; Renouf et al., 2010; Santo, Bass, Stella-Lopez, & Bukowski, 2017), and socioeconomic status (Chaux, Molano, & Podlesky, 2009; Due et al., 2009; Hong, 2009). Although studies linking socioeconomic status to either bullying or reactive aggression have yielded mixed results (Chaux et al., 2009; Jankauskiene et al., 2008), gender and age consistently have been found to have a significant relationship with these two constructs.…”

I like you, do you like me? How gender, context, and aggression predict liking.

“…Younger children tend to engage in more physical aggression and verbal aggression, but less relational aggression, while older children and early adolescents seem to engage in more relational aggression. Additionally, peer aggression may predict peer victimization (Santo, Bass, Stella-Lopez, and Bukowski, 2017).…”

“…There are differences in the effect of aggression on liking based on sex. Girls tend to be less physically aggressive than boys and when they are physically aggressive with their peers, they tend to be more disliked because of it (Santo, Bass, Stella-Lopez, & Bukowski, 2017). Boys tend to be more physically aggressive, and thus this is the type of aggression that is most 'accepted' for boys.…”

Invariância de medida e evidências de validade externa da Peer Aggressive Behavior Scale (PAB-S)

“…Embora estejam presentes em todas as fases do ciclo vital, os comportamentos agressivos na infância são comumente identificados, sobretudo na relação entre pares (Borsa & Bandeira, 2014a). Além disso, o comportamento agressivo infantil, se intenso e persistente, pode se configurar como fator de risco para o desenvolvimento, estando associado a importantes prejuízos sociais e adaptativos, como rejeição pelos pares (Santo, Bass, Stella-Lopez, & Bukowski, 2017), dificuldades escolares, sintomas de depressão, ansiedade, impulsividade, entre outros (Miller & Lynam, 2006;McQuade, Breaux, Gómez, & Zakarian, 2016).…”