Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression and Nonaggressive Rule-Breaking During Late Childhood and Early Adolescence

Abstract

Research has consistently linked two forms of childhood antisocial behavior, physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking, to adolescent delinquency. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the development of problem behavior during the latter years of childhood and early adolescence (ages 6 to 14). The current study utilized longitudinal data that followed 756 at-risk males and females from early childhood into early adolescence to identify trajectories of physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking and the association between documented risk factors with class membership. The findings supported a four-class model for both physical aggression and nonaggressive rule-breaking. Both models produced high, moderately high, average, and abstaining classes. However, the physical aggression models decreased as participants aged, while the nonaggressive rule-breaking classes increased. Family adversity, protective neighborhoods, negative child temperament, premature birth, race, and gender were associated with class membership. The study findings may inform targeted, problem-specific strategies aimed at early intervention.

Teacher–student relationships, stress, and psychosocial functioning during early adolescence

“…Early adolescence is a period of change in multiple domains that are impacted by multiple dynamic systems including peers, parents, other adults, and other developing systems (Lerner & Castellino, 2002; Neinstein, 2016). Due to these factors, anxiety and depression typically become more prevalent during adolescence (Burt, 2012; Ghandour et al, 2019; Givens & Reid, 2018). Thus, while teacher–student closeness may be adaptive, these other systems also interact to potentially have a great impact on these specific psychosocial issues.…”

“…Unlike aggression, rule-breaking typically increases and peaks during adolescence (Burt, 2012;Givens & Reid, 2018).…”

“…While aggression generally tends to decline from childhood to adolescence, some youth show increasing patterns of physical and social aggression (Underwood et al, 2009). Unlike aggression, rule‐breaking typically increases and peaks during adolescence (Burt, 2012; Givens & Reid, 2018). Aggression and rule‐breaking during adolescence are associated with higher levels of criminality, increased substance use/abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and poorer academic outcomes over time (Burt, 2012; Okano et al, 2020; Timmermans et al, 2008).…”

Variation in Exposure to Violence in Early Adolescence Distinguishes between Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Perpetration among Young Men Involved in the Justice System

“…The majority of research regarding ETV has investigated the causes and consequences of various forms of ETV in isolation (i.e., family violence, school violence, community violence). Despite the tendency to empirically investigate different types of ETV, links between various forms of ETV have been repeatedly documented such as those between: child maltreatment and intimate partner violence; community violence and child maltreatment; intimate partner violence and community violence; child maltreatment and sexual assault; and child physical abuse and dating violence (e.g., Fang and Corso 2007;Givens and Reid 2018;López-Quílez et al 2015;Reid and Sullivan 2009). However, less research has explored the impact of ETV on subsequent juvenile offending and victimization, especially related to specific forms of violence, including intimate partner violence (IPV) in early adulthood (e.g., Jennings et al 2017).…”

Longitudinal relations among perceived parental warmth, self‐esteem and social behaviours from middle childhood to early adolescence in China: Disentangling between‐ and within‐person associations

“…A longitudinal study of adolescents in Hong Kong, China, concluded that delinquent behaviour continued to increase during this period, especially in early adolescence (Shek & Lin, 2016). However, because of its relatively covert nature and low severity, delinquent behaviour has been neglected by researchers compared to other negative social behaviours (Givens & Reid, 2018; Ma et al, 2022), even though it is harmful to subsequent psychosocial adjustment, including academic achievement and teacher–student relationships (De Laet et al, 2016; Fite et al, 2012). Given the aforementioned developmental characteristics and significance of prosocial and delinquent behaviour from childhood to adolescence, this study employed them as positive and negative indicators of social behaviours, respectively, investigating relations between crucial family/individual difference factors and youth's social behaviours.…”