The developmental relation between aggressive behaviour and prosocial behaviour: A 5-year longitudinal study

Abstract

BackgroundPast research has shown links between both children’s aggressive behaviour and a lack of prosocial behaviour to later maladaptation. Both types of behaviours have also been identified as crucial in children’s social and emotional development and later (mal)adaptation. However, little is known about the way they predict each other over time.MethodsWe utilised a large, ethnically diverse, longitudinal population sample of girls and boys (N = 1,334) to examine the bidirectional cross-lagged links between aggressive and prosocial domains of behaviour from age seven to eleven. Teacher, parent and child self-reports were utilised to assess aggressive behaviour and prosocial behaviour.ResultsThe results revealed that aggressive behaviour measured one year predicted decreases in prosocial behaviour in the following year. Conversely, prosocial behaviour did not predict changes in aggressive behaviour in the subsequent year. Furthermore, peer difficulties were examined and found to be an important mediator of the link between aggressive and prosocial behaviour. Specifically, peer difficulties mediated the links between aggressive behaviour and prosocial behaviour one year later, particularly during the first three years of school attendance.ConclusionsImplications of the findings for the design of intervention strategies to reduce children’s aggressive behaviour are discussed.

Cross‐national evidences of a school‐based universal programme for promoting prosocial behaviours in peer interactions: Main theoretical communalities and local unicity

“…Moreover, during adolescence, the development of aggressive behaviours followed a pattern of stability or growing from middle to late adolescence (Kokko et al, ). In addition, following Obsuth et al ()'s reasoning, an aggressive adolescent will tend to be‐friend with an aggressive adolescent, and will experience the peer pressure to react in a “cool” way to feel accepted and avoid ridicule. In sum, from our study it seems plausible to think that the pattern of change of physical aggression follows a different process than change of prosocial development and a longer period is needed for variations on this kind of behavioural outcomes.…”

“…To our knowledge, only two studies examined the longitudinal and simultaneous relation between prosocial and aggressive behaviours across childhood and adolescence. Obsuth, Eisner, Malti, and Ribeaud () tested the cross‐lagged relations between prosocial and aggressive behaviours using a 5‐year longitudinal covering the transition to late childhood and early adolescence (aged 7–11 years) from Switzerland. Results from their study supported the negative prediction of aggressive behaviour on prosocial behaviour 1 year later but not vice versa (Obsuth et al, ).…”

“…Obsuth, Eisner, Malti, and Ribeaud () tested the cross‐lagged relations between prosocial and aggressive behaviours using a 5‐year longitudinal covering the transition to late childhood and early adolescence (aged 7–11 years) from Switzerland. Results from their study supported the negative prediction of aggressive behaviour on prosocial behaviour 1 year later but not vice versa (Obsuth et al, ). This cross‐lagged longitudinal pattern was also observed in a study conducted in another dissimilar cultural context, China (Chen, Huang, Chang, Wang, & Li, ).…”

Predicting Adolescents’ Bullying Participation from Developmental Trajectories of Social Status and Behavior

“…Aggressive children are often rejected and avoided by their peers, as their peers may dislike the company of aggressive children. Therefore, aggressive children may have few opportunities to develop their prosocial skills which may explain their increase in aggression and decrease in prosocial behavior (Obsuth, Eisner, Malti, & Ribeaud, 2015).…”

The teacher's role in selecting a methodological approach to the interpretation of a literary work

“…Тумаче, уз помоћ наставника, шта је у тим поступцима позитивно, а шта негативно. Анализирање позитивног и негативног понашања представља увођење ученика у стратегију за решавање међуљудских проблема, која се учи веома рано у животу (Obsuth et al, 2015). И на овом узрасту могуће је извести једноставнију психолошку анализу ликова.…”