Developmental trajectories of peer-reported aggressive behavior: The role of friendship understanding, friendship quality, and friends’ aggressive behavior.

Abstract

Objective To investigate developmental trajectories in peer-reported aggressive behavior across the transition from elementary-to-middle school, and whether aggressive behavior trajectories were associated with friendship quality, friends’ aggressive behavior, and the ways in which children think about their friendships. Method Participants included a community sample of 230 5th grade children who were assessed when they made a transition from elementary-to-middle school (6th grade). Peer nominations were used to assess the target child’s and friend’s aggressive behavior. Self- and friend reports were used to measure friendship quality; friendship understanding was assessed via a structured interview. Results General Growth Mixture Modeling (GGMM) revealed three distinct trajectories of peer-reported aggressive behavior across the school transition: low-stable, decreasing, and increasing. Adolescents’ understanding of friendship formation differentiated the decreasing from the low-stable aggressive behavior trajectories, and the understanding of friendship trust differentiated the increasing from the low-stable aggressive and decreasing aggressive behavior trajectories. Conclusions The findings indicated that a sophisticated understanding of friendship may serve as a protective factor for initially aggressive adolescents as they transition into middle school. Promoting a deepened understanding of friendship relations and their role in one’s own and others’ well-being may serve as an important prevention and intervention strategy to reduce aggressive behavior.

Friend Support As a Buffer Against Engagement in Problem Behaviors Among Ethnically Harassed Immigrant Adolescents

“…In line with general strain theory (Agnew, 2006), this finding suggests that for immigrant adolescents who are developmentally less equipped to cope with stressful experiences, having a supportive friend provides resources they can draw on to alleviate the deleterious effects of ethnic harassment, and thereby protects them from engaging in problem behaviors. These findings add to a mounting body of evidence for there being a protective role of high-quality friendship in relation to peer victimization (Cuadros & Berger, 2016;Kendrick et al, 2012;Malcolm et al, 2006) and behavioral difficulties resulting from negative peer experiences (Collibee, LeTard, & Aikins, 2016;Fitzpatrick & Bussey, 2014;Kendrick et al, 2012;Malti, McDonald, Rubin, Rose-Krasnor, & Booth-LaForce, 2015). Having a relationship of support with an important peer probably signals to immigrant adolescents that they are valued and accepted, contributes to better social adjustment, including higher self-esteem and subjective well-being (e.g., Cuadros & Berger, 2016;Hartup, & Stevens, 1997;Woods et al, 2009), and, therefore, may provide them with a sense of belonging and relatedness to the social environment.…”

Associations of Early Adolescents’ Best Friendships, Peer Groups, and Coolness With Overt and Relational Aggression

“…Peer groups are a small, relatively intimate group of peers who hang out and regularly interact with each other (Brown, 1990). Short-term longitudinal studies using peer nominations indicate best friends (Bowker et al, 2012; Malti, McDonald, Rubin, Rose-Kransnor, & Booth-LaForce, 2015) and peer groups (Rulison, Gest, & Loken, 2013; Shin, 2017) have significant implications for adolescents’ overt and relational aggression. However, few studies have examined the implications of these two peer relationships simultaneously in relation to adolescents’ aggression (Crick et al, 2009).…”

“…Positive features of best friendships include sharing and interpersonal communication (Berndt & Perry, 1986), with an increasing emphasis on disclosure, trust, loyalty, intimacy, and emotional support during early adolescence (Berndt, 2002). Researchers have asked youth to nominate one best friend (Urberg et al, 1997), two best friends (Malti et al, 2015), or up to three best friends (Veronneau & Dishion, 2011). Other researchers allow students to make unlimited friendship nominations (Bukowski, Newcomb, & Hartup, 1998; Dijkstra, Cillessen, & Borch, 2013).…”

Adaptive tasks: school transition from the 5th to 6th grade of elementary education

“…In addition, the statistical analysis model captures central tendencies and is not sensitive to individual variations in developmental trajectories. Children in the same cohort may have divergent developmental trajectories, as demonstrated, for example, by Malti's et al, (2015) research on aggressive behavior.…”

“…Oriol, Torres, Miranda, Bilbao and Ortúzar (2017) found that social support predicts school satisfaction during transition and peer support is more important than family support for children aged 10-12 years. Malti, McDonald, Rubin, Rose-Krasnor and Booth-LaForce (2015) investigated the trajectories of aggressive behavior during transition between the 5 th and 6 th grades. Three trajectories of aggressive behavior were identified: stable low level of aggressiveness, increasing and decreasing aggressiveness.…”