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Original Communication

Aggression, Self-Understanding, and Social Competence in Swiss Elementary-School Children

Published Online:September 01, 2006https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185.65.2.81

Abstract

This study examined the relation between aggression, self-understanding, and social competence in a sample of 93 Swiss elementary-school children. Aggression was rated by the parents using the aggression subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4-18). Self-understanding was assessed with a short version of Damon and Hart’s (1988) self-understanding interview. The social competence of the children was observed in a quasi-experimental, cooperative play situation. The results revealed that aggression was related to domain-specific content aspects of self-understanding. Aggression was, however, negatively associated with social competence. Moreover, nonaggressive children with high levels of self-understanding showed more social competence than aggressive children with both high and low levels of self-understanding.

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