Adaptive, maladaptive, mediational, and bidirectional processes of relational and physical aggression, relational and physical victimization, and peer liking

The differential effects of psychological and physical victimization on depression and anxiety symptoms were examined via APIM and growth curve modeling techniques in a sample of newlyweds (N = 103 couples) assessed four times over the first 3 years of marriage. On average, husbands and wives reported moderate levels of psychological aggression, and there were no sex differences in prevalence rates or mean levels. Changes in psychological victimization were associated with changes in depression and anxiety symptoms, even after controlling for the effects of physical victimization. This study demonstrates the severe impact of psychological aggression on its victims and expands on previous studies of battering samples to demonstrate that psychological victimization may be more damaging than physical victimization in nonbattering, community couples.

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Beliefs About Fighting and Their Relations to Urban Adolescents’ Frequency of Aggression and Victimization: Evaluation of the Beliefs About Fighting Scale

The Journal of Early Adolescence ◽

10.1177/0272431618791297 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (6) ◽

pp. 785-813 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Albert D. Farrell ◽

Amie F. Bettencourt ◽

Krista R. Mehari

Keyword(s):

Violence Prevention ◽

Physical Aggression ◽

Concurrent Validity ◽

Urban Adolescents ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Urban Middle Schools ◽

Physical Victimization ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Violence Prevention Program

This study investigated the structure and concurrent validity of the Beliefs About Fighting Scale (BAFS). Participants were 2,118 students from three urban middle schools who completed measures of their beliefs, frequency of physical aggression, victimization, and nonviolent intentions. Ratings of students’ frequency of physical aggression, physical victimization, and nonviolent behavior were also obtained from their teachers. The majority of the sample was African American (81%). Confirmatory factor analyses supported a model with separate factors representing beliefs against fighting, beliefs that fighting is sometimes necessary, beliefs supporting reactive aggression, and beliefs supporting proactive aggression. Support was also found for strong measurement invariance across sex, grade, and groups that differed in whether a violence-prevention program was being implemented at their school. The four BAFS factors were associated with adolescents’ frequency of aggression, victimization, and nonviolent behavior. This study underscores the importance of assessing multiple aspects of beliefs associated with aggressive behavior.

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Adolescent resource control

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1177/0165025413503420 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 37 (6) ◽

pp. 518-529 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Danielle Findley ◽

Tiina Ojanen

Keyword(s):

Relational Aggression ◽

Social Adjustment ◽

Physical Aggression ◽

Social Withdrawal ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Resource Control ◽

Prosocial Behaviors ◽

Coercive Control ◽

Peer Liking

This study examined adolescent coercive and prosocial resource control strategies in relation to various indices of peer-reported behaviors and peer regard ( N = 384; 12–14 years). Coercive control was uniquely positively related to physical and relational aggression and peer disliking, and negatively to prosocial behaviors when controlling for prosocial control, which, in turn, was uniquely negatively related to physical aggression and social withdrawal, and positively to prosocial behaviors, peer liking, and popularity. Findings from person-centered analyses augmented these findings, indicating that bi-strategic, coercive, prosocial, typical, and non-controllers exhibit divergent patterns of social adjustment among peers. Implications for the study of adolescent social adjustment are discussed, including increased understanding of adolescent resource control and aggression among peers at school.

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