Social information processing deficits of aggressive children: Present findings and implications for social skills training

Abstract

The present paper emphasizes the research of the past decade in a review of the problems faced by aggressive children in the sociocognitive sphere. Using Dodge's (1986) information processing model of the steps involved in social problem solving and interaction, it is shown that aggressive children, as a group, experience problems at every stage of the model. The results of the studies reviewed suggest that aggressive children: (a) often fail to encode all relevant environmental cues, (b) are biased to assign hostile intentions to their social partners, (c) generate fewer and less effective solutions for problematic situations, (d) pursue inappropriate social goals, (e) experience deficits in the enactment of many social behaviors, and (f) may display a degree of egocentrism in evaluating the social environment's response to their behavior. It is emphasized that not every aggressive child will experience difficulty at each of these stages. However, given that many of these children exhibit problems at some stage of social information processing, social skills training should be considered an important treatment component for most aggressive youngsters. It is clear that each child's pattern of sociocognitive strengths and weaknesses must be assessed prior to implementing an individualized social skills training program. Such an individualized approach to assessment is described. It is hoped that this approach will enhance treatment efficacy and guide future research on the sociocognitive functioning of aggressive children.