Social‐cognitive mediators of the relation of environmental and emotion regulation factors to children's aggression

Abstract

Tested a theoretical model in which social cognitions about aggression partially mediated the relation of environmental and emotion regulation factors to children's aggressive behavior. An ethnically diverse sample of 778 children (57% girls) in grades 4-6 from both urban and suburban schools participated. Measures included exposure to aggression (seeing/hearing about aggression, victimization), emotion regulation (impulsivity, anger control), social cognitions about aggression (self-evaluation, selfefficacy, retaliation approval, aggressive fantasizing, caring about consequences), and aggressive behavior. Results supported the hypothesis that social cognitions mediate the relations of exposure to aggression and anger control to aggressive behavior. Also, social cognitions about direct and indirect aggression differentially predicted the respective behaviors with which they are associated. That is, social cognitions about direct aggression were mediators of direct aggressive behavior, whereas social cognitions about indirect aggression were mediators of indirect aggressive behavior. Finally, gender moderated the relations among the variables such that for girls, retaliation approval beliefs were a strong mediator, whereas for boys, self-evaluation was more important.

Psychopathy, gang membership, and moral disengagement among juvenile offenders

“…In terms of witnessing violence, Orue et al (2014) found that exposure to violence in 8-12 year old children increased later aggressive behaviour, and that this process was mediated by PSYCHOPATHY AND MORAL DISENGAGEMENT 7 normative beliefs about aggression. Similar findings were reported Guerra, Huesmann, and Spindler (2003) and Musher-Eizenman, Boxer, and Danner et al (2004).…”

Socio‐economic, socio‐political and socio‐emotional variables explaining school bullying: a country‐wide multilevel analysis

“…Furthermore, they found that such relationships were mediated through the effect of exposure to violence on emotional regulation (for victims) and social cognitions supporting aggression (for aggressors). Similarly, although not specifically about bullying, Guerra et al [2003] and Musher-Eizenman et al [2004] found a significant relationship between exposure to community violence and aggressive behavior mediated by normative beliefs supporting aggression. It is likely that those who are exposed to violence in their community learn that aggression, including bullying, is a legitimate way to reach personal goals [see also Espelage et al, 2000].…”

Emotion Regulation and Aggressive Behavior in Preschoolers: The Mediating Role of Social Information Processing

“…In the third study with a sample of 778 fourth through sixth graders, Musher-Eizenman et al [30] found that the relation between anger control and physical aggression was mediated by latent structures of SIP (aggressive fantasizing, retaliation approval). Latent knowledge structures are distinct from on-line SIP in that latent mental structures (i.e., beliefs, attitudes, scripts, schemas) contain information about past experiences and affect each step of on-line, or ''real-time'', decision processes [8].…”