The growth of gossip: Socialization of relational aggression from adolescence to emerging adulthood

Abstract

The extant literature suggests that relational aggression appears in early childhood, and gradually increases throughout adolescence. However, very little research has examined the growth of relational aggression from adolescence to emerging adulthood. In addition, research generally examines socializing factors of relational aggression, such as parenting, peers, siblings, or media in isolation. Accordingly, the aim of the current study was to examine these socializing factors conjunctively as predictors of the growth of relational aggression over time. Participants consisted of 500 adolescents who completed several questionnaires over a 7-year period (between ages 14-20 on average). Results revealed that the vast majority of individuals (88%) showed low levels of relational aggression that decreased over time. Conversely, a small proportion of individuals (12%) had high, increasing levels of relational aggression between adolescence and emerging adulthood. High levels of maternal psychological control, sibling hostility, and relational aggression in the media at the initial time point all predicted being in the high and increasing group.

Mean kids become mean adults: Trajectories of indirect aggression from age 10 to 22

“…Consistent with other researchers examining the development of indirect aggression in similar age brackets (Cleverley et al, 2012; Coyne et al, 2020; Ehrenreich et al, 2014; Orpinas et al, 2015), and our initial prediction, we found that most children were very low or low users, who declined over time (90.8%). Although this is an encouraging result, this still leaves 9.2% of the sample, who as predicted, consistently (and increasingly) used indirect aggression from late childhood to late adolescence (see also Coyne et al, 2020). These developmental findings differ from those of physical aggression whereby almost all children (96%) desist and none increase (Nagin & Tremblay, 1999).…”

“…Longitudinal studies spanning our childhood age range of 10–18 point to a decrease in use over time, even for high users (Ehrenreich et al, 2014; Karriker‐Jaffe et al, 2008; Orpinas et al, 2015). We predicted that while most children would decrease in their use of indirect aggression over time, a small group of high stable users would be found, similar to Cleverley et al (2012) and Coyne et al (2020). As for the development of indirect aggression in early adulthood, because there is so little research to guide us, we offer no directional hypotheses other than expecting to find distinct groups of higher and lower users.…”

“…An important next step will be to examine status related costs and benefits as predictors and outcomes of indirect aggression. Moreover, examining the socializing factors in the prediction of indirect aggression is also worthy of attention based on Coyne et al (2020) results indicating that high levels of maternal psychological control, exposure to indirect aggression in the media, and sibling hostility predicted being in the high increasing trajectory from adolescence to young adulthood.…”

“…Results indicated overall reduction in indirect aggression over time. Finally, Coyne et al (2020) assessed indirect aggression using self‐reports from age 14 to 20. Most individuals (88%) followed a trajectory of decreasing low use and a small proportion (12%) followed a trajectory of high increasing use from adolescence to early adulthood.…”

Impacts of psychopathic traits dimensions on the development of indirect aggression from childhood to adolescence.

“…However, the development of IA is heterogeneous. Most children manifest low-to-moderate decreasing levels of IA, but a group of them manifest high or increasing levels of IA (Boutin et al, 2017, 2021; Chen et al, 2019; Pagani et al, 2010; Vaillancourt et al, 2007), and this high use can persist into adulthood (Coyne et al, 2020; Vaillancourt & Farrell, 2021). Even if the latter are in minority, in addition to causing considerable harm to others (Casper & Card, 2017), these high users of IA are at elevated risk for future detrimental outcomes, such as anxiety, depression, delinquency, drug use, and risky sexual behaviors (Boutin et al, 2018; Card et al, 2008; Chen et al, 2019; Cleverley et al, 2012; Ehrenreich et al, 2016).…”