In order to adequately assess aggression in adolescence, the Peer Conflict Scale (PCS) was developed. It evaluates both forms and functions of aggression (i.e. proactive overt, proactive relational, reactive overt and reactive relational aggression). The goal of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Croatian version of the Peer Conflict Scale. participants and procedure The total sample consisted of 656 high school students from the City of Zagreb (age range 16-17, 55.33% boys). Independent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to determine the factor structure, and the best fitting model of the PCS on a Croatian sample. results Both results of EFA and CFA support a proposed fourfactor model of the instrument. Reliabilities of the instrument's scales were acceptable. The measurement invari-ance across gender was established. In order to analyse the construct validity of the PCS, relations between aggression subtypes and the theoretically meaningful variable, i.e. anxiety, were assessed. Reactive relational aggression had the highest correlation with anxiety, while proactive overt aggression did not correlate significantly with anxiety. Furthermore, gender differences in aggression subtypes were assessed, and were in accordance with past research. conclusions Our study verifies the reliability, factor structure and construct validity of PCS in a sample of Croatian adolescents. However, the results of this study suggest that the response format should be changed. Furthermore, some items did not match well with corresponding factors and the best fitting model was the one in which those items were excluded. Therefore, we suggest that two items should be replaced with new ones.

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The role of self-regulation in aggression has typically been studied by neglecting the multidimensional nature of aggression, which differentiates between its forms (overt vs. relational) and functions (proactive vs. reactive). Besides, the contribution of two aspects of self-regulation (effortful control and reactive control) in the regulation of aggression has been ignored. Studies suggest that only reactive aggressive children have low effortful control because aggression results from the insufficient inhibition of an aggressive impulse. On the other hand, some studies suggest that proactive aggression has no deficits in effortful control, because proactive aggression is referred to as premeditated behaviour driven by instrumental goals. However, the conceptualization of proactive aggression as premeditated with higher levels of forethought and perseverance is not sustainable, because proactive aggression is associated with reactive undercontrol which corresponds to impulsivity. This paper addresses this problem by reviewing recent research suggesting that both forms and functions of aggression are related to inadequate effortful control. Studies suggest that forms and functions of aggression are related to various aspects of impulsivity. Further, reactive overcontrolled children are, due to their behavioural inhibition, better able to attenuate their aggression. Future studies should determine which forms and functions of aggression are characterized by low reactive overcontrol, i.e. low behavioural inhibition. For children whose aggression is driven by weak reactive control, effortful control is necessary to inhibit aggressive impulses. Interventions are suggested for reinforcing self-regulation in forms and functions of aggression.