Reviews and assesses current knowledge on children's aggression: the determinants and regulation mechanisms. (AJ)

Many psychologists assert that boys are in dire straits in U.S. society, but in fact, there is no evidence of an emotional or behavioral epidemic for either sex. If there is any truth to the claim that boys are in trouble, it results from practices that foster aggression. It is a mistake to regard either gender as "fragile." (SLD)

Relations among hormone levels, emotional dispositions, and aggressive attributes were examined in 56 boys and 52 girls, aged 9 to 14 years. (PCB)

Examined factors associated with young children's aggression. Observed 104 toddlers during free play with same-sex peer, with both mothers present. Found that early out-of-home care was not related to aggression. Boys were more aggressive than girls. Observed aggression and mother-reported externalizing problems were associated significantly with…

Parents of Swedish twin pairs ages 7 to 9 years and of British twin pairs ages 8 to 16 years completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Found that genetic factors influenced aggressive antisocial behavior to a greater extent than nonaggressive antisocial behavior, which was also significantly influenced by the shared environment. There was a…

Eighth graders (N=517) attending three New York City schools completed a questionnaire related to drug use and aggression. Self-reported aggressive and unsafe behaviors were associated with initiation of drug use. Sex differences were found for aggressive behavior, victimization, and unsafe behavior. Implications for prevention programs are…

Investigated the relationship between self-concept and aggressive behavior in 229 third- and sixth-grade students. Analysis of variance revealed significantly larger aggressiveness scores among low self- concept children. Girls, while less aggressive than boys, became more aggressive with age while boys became less aggressive. No socioeconomic…

Observations were conducted to identify student behaviors that relate to students' functioning, defined first as social status within the group, and second as behavior problems perceived by the teacher. Fifty-four fifth grade boys and girls, from seven classrooms that were organized into two units, were observed over a 10-week period during both…

Examined the nature of teacher responses to preschoolers' problem and preacademic behavior as a function of sex. Teachers generally responded more frequently to boys. (ST)

This study compared three methods for assessing relational aggression (RA) and physical aggression (PA) in preschool children: a teacher rating scale; a peer nomination measure; and a direct observation measure. Results showed intermethod agreement between peer and teacher ratings of RA for girls and PA for boys. All three methods indicated boys…

Examined social problem solving and emotion expression in children with low, moderate, and severe behavior problems. Eighty-nine four- and five-year-olds were confronted with dilemmas of interpersonal conflict and distress. Girls expressed more themes of social construction, cohesion, and accommodation but also more anger than boys, whereas boys…

Examined the relationship between 41 preschool children's peer competency and the exchange of reciprocal negative affect displays during physical play with parents. Found that fathers who typically responded to their children's negative affect displays with negative affect of their own had children who shared less, were more aggressive, and…

Examined mother-child interaction predictors of initial levels and changes in child aggressive and disruptive behavior at school from kindergarten to third grade in 585 mother-child dyads. Found that for boys, high coercion and nonaffection were particularly associated with the high-increasing-aggression trajectory, but for girls, high levels of…

Compares emotional and behavioral problems as well as suicidal thoughts and tendencies for boys and girls with a history of sexual abuse to boys and girls without such a history. Both sexually abused boys and girls reported significantly more emotional problems, behavioral problems, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts than their nonabused…