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Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment

Gepubliceerd in:

01-12-2010

Measuring Relational Aggression in Middle Childhood in a Multi-Informant Multi-Method Study

Auteurs: Jennifer L. Tackett, Jamie M. Ostrov

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment | Uitgave 4/2010

Abstract

Relational aggression includes behaviors intended to damage the social status and relationships of others. Recent work has demonstrated problematic outcomes for both aggressors and victims. These behaviors have been associated with psychopathology, including early borderline personality pathology. Despite the importance in better understanding these behaviors, numerous questions remain regarding the validity of different informants and methods for assessing relational aggression. In a community-based sample of 330 families evenly split by child gender (50.3% female), relational aggression data was assessed via multiple informants (mother, father, and self) and multiple methods (questionnaire and interview). The results suggest that mothers and fathers show higher agreement for girls’ relational aggression than for boys’ and that the presence of gender differences depends on the method of measurement. In addition, both mothers and fathers reports of relational aggression uniquely predicted internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and social problems, with fathers’ reports emerging as a particularly robust predictor. Relational aggression scores accounted for a greater amount of predicted variance in externalizing behaviors than in the other two domains. Results are discussed in the context of the utility of multiple informants and the conceptualization of relational aggression in a broader externalizing psychopathology framework.

vorige artikel Current Considerations in the Assessment of Youth Narcissism: Indicators of Pathological and Normative Development

volgende artikel Adolescent Psychopathy and the Five Factor Model: Domain and Facet Analysis

Regressions predicting internalizing and social problems were also run controlling for physical aggression. Specifically, both informants’ Aggressive Behaviors scale scores were entered into the first step in each regression. For prediction of internalizing problems, in the first regression, gender (B = .98, p = .006) and CSBS-Dad (B = .33, p = .037) remained significant predictors; in the second regression, gender (B = 1.02, p = .004) and CSBS-Dad (B = .43, p = .006) again remained significant predictors. For prediction of social problems, in the first regression, CSBS-Mom (B = .13, p = .042) remained a significant predictor; in the second regression, no significant predictors remained. Given that the Aggressive Behaviors scale is part of the sum Externalizing Behaviors score, additional analyses were not conducted for this domain.

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Titel: Measuring Relational Aggression in Middle Childhood in a Multi-Informant Multi-Method Study
Auteurs: Jennifer L. Tackett
Jamie M. Ostrov
Publicatiedatum: 01-12-2010
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment / Uitgave 4/2010
Print ISSN: 0882-2689
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-3505
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-010-9184-7

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