archives@tulane.edu / Exposure to violence among children and adolescents has been linked to negative outcomes including posttraumatic stress disorder, externalizing problems, low academic achievement, and impaired social-emotional adjustment. Aggressive behaviors specifically are shown to be strongly predicted by both direct and indirect violence exposure. Aggressive behaviors have consequences on later adjustment, making the identification of protective factors imperative to bolster support for children whose environments are affected by violence. The current study examined the effect of neighborhood violence on overt aggression as well as the potential of school climate variables to buffer the impact of violence on students’ aggressive behaviors. It was hypothesized that higher rates of neighborhood violence in the year preceding the study would predict higher levels of aggressive behaviors reported by teachers and students. It was further hypothesized that student perceptions of school safety, teacher-student relationships, and academic engagement would moderate this relationship, such that the relationship between neighborhood violence and aggressive behaviors would be lower in the context of positive school climate indicators than in the context of negative school climate indictors. Results did not support either hypothesis. However, results suggested that teacher-student relationships may reduce aggressive behaviors over time, which provides promising evidence that can inform teacher efforts and schoolwide opportunities to mitigate negative outcomes for their students. / 1 / Lea Petrovic

The general aggression model (GAM) has suggested that the interaction between person factors (e.g., personality variables) and situation factors (e.g., playing violent video games [VVGs]) can increase individuals’ aggressive behaviors through their cognition (e.g., hostile attributions), affect (e.g., negative affect), and/or arousal. The present study employed a modified competitive reaction time task to test the effects of shyness, violent (vs. nonviolent) gameplay, and shyness on individuals’ positive–negative affect, hostile attributions, and aggressive behaviors. In addition, the present study also employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the mediation (by cognition and affect) and moderation (by shyness). Results showed that playing a VVG increased aggressive behaviors, negative affect, and hostile attributions primarily among shy participants. In addition, the results of SEM also revealed that this moderating role was mediated by negative affect and hostile attributions. The present study supported GAM and showed that individuals’ aggressive behaviors are differentially susceptible to VVGs, depending on their level of shyness in a “for bad and for worse” manner.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal relations of maternal behaviors, children`s temperamental negative emotionality, and children`s emotion perception processes, including emotion perception accuracy (EPA) and emotion perception bias (EPB), to children`s conduct disorder symptoms in a normative sample. Separate structural equation models were conducted to assess whether parenting or children`s proneness to negative emotions at 24-30 (T2), 36-42 (T3) and 48-54 (T4) months predicted children`s EPA and EPB over time, and whether T3 and T4 children`s emotion perception processes were predictive of children`s conduct disorder at 72 months of age (T5). None of the hypothesized longitudinal relations was supported; however, other noteworthy results were observed. T3 children`s proneness to negative emotions was positively related to children`s concurrent bias toward anger. The latent constructs of negative parenting, children`s proneness to negative emotions, and the observed measure of children`s emotion perception accuracy showed stability over time, whereas the observed measures of children`s bias toward understanding distinct negative emotions were unrelated across time. In addition, children`s expressive language was predicted by children`s earlier emotion perception accuracy, which emphasized the importance of improving children`s emotion understanding skills during early years. Furthermore, the previously established negative relation between EPA and EPB variables was only partially supported. Findings regarding the relations between parenting, children`s negative emotionality and emotion perception processes are discussed from a developmental perspective. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Family and Human Development 2011

La violencia conyugal se ha convertido en una problemática presente en diferentes sociedades. Las investigaciones al respecto se han dado desde el enfoque de la víctima, en entorno social y, en los últimos años, de los varones agresores. Sobre los hombres agresores se ha resaltado la relación entre el factor del apego con sus conductas agresivas. Debido a esto, la presente investigación tiene como objetivo describir los patrones de apego que presentan en su relación de pareja dos varones de zonas rurales. El diseño de la investigación es cualitativo con un enfoque fenomenológico. Los participantes fueron 2 hombres adultos involucrados en relaciones largas con hijos. El instrumento de recolección de datos fue la entrevista a profundidad y se analizaron bajo la estrategia de análisis de contenido. Los resultados arrojaron que los patrones de apego que presentan los participantes en sus relaciones de pareja están estrechamente relacionados a los primeros vínculos afectivos que tuvieron con sus cuidadores primarios. Dichos patrones están dirigidos por la angustia ante la idea de separación de su pareja. / Conjugal violence has become a problem present in different societies. Investigations in this regard have been given from the approach of the victim, in a social environment and, in recent years, of male aggressors. The relationship between the attachment factor and its aggressive behaviors has been highlighted on the aggressive men. Because of this, this research aims to describe the patterns of attachment that two men from rural areas have in their relationship. The research design is qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The participants were 2 adult men involved in long relationships with children. The data collection instrument was the in-depth interview and was analyzed under the content analysis strategy. The results showed that the attachment patterns presented by the participants in their romantic relationships are closely related to the first emotional ties they had with their primary caregivers. These patterns are driven by anguish at the idea of ​​separation from their romantic partner. / Tesis

Researchers question the growing use of paraeducators in public school special education classrooms, complaining that the professionals with the least education are being asked to assist the students requiring the most intervention (Blalock, 1991; Giangreco, Broer, & Edelman, 1999). How well are paraprofessional educators prepared to use best practices for behavior management in special education settings? The eight special education paraprofessionals surveyed in this study demonstrated varying levels of knowledge regarding how to respond to the aggressive behaviors often displayed by students with emotional disturbance (ED). Paraeducators who reported receiving the most district- or teacher-led training (4 to 16+ hours) recommended interventions that were the most closely aligned with the positive, proactive approaches supported in literature about best practices. Age of paraeducator and years of formal education showed no relationship with ability to suggest appropriate interventions. However, respondents overall were more likely to recommend appropriate interventions for students displaying physical aggression than for students displaying verbal aggression or noncompliance involving both physical and verbal aggression. These findings confirm the importance of paraeducator training specific to the needs and behaviors of students with ED.

Empirical studies have shown that single-parent families have been overrepresented in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the children of these families are more exposed to factors that lead to aggressive behavior. Despite these studies, there is limited literature on the parenting of immigrant mothers that may prevent aggressive behaviors in children. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of single Southern African immigrant mothers in low socioeconomic neighborhoods in California working and raising male children who do not exhibit aggressive behaviors in schools and in the community. Seligman's theory of positive psychology informed this study. Research questions were focused on how the participants make meaning of and positively cope with their parenting experiences. Data were collected through semistructured interviews using purposive sampling of 8 single Southern African immigrant mothers. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 5 themes emerged: (a) working hard, (b) religion, (c) family, (d) education, and (e) positively coping. The findings of this study may contribute to positive social change by informing policy makers from California and high school personnel about the need to develop programs that are culturally responsive to the needs of adolescents with aggressive behaviors.

No description available.