Social aggression is defined as a set of behaviors directed towards damaging another individual’s self-esteem or social status and may include direct forms such as verbal rejection, negative facial expressions or gestures, or more indirect means such as rumor spreading or social exclusion (Galen & Underwood, 1997). Previous research demonstrates that social aggression and self-reported empathy have a negative linear relationship, and that social aggression is positively correlated with the ability to effectively navigate varied social contexts (a subset of Machiavellianism, or a manipulative beliefs and strategies towards others; Wilson, Near, & Miller, 1996). Despite this evidence, few researchers have investigated the relationships among all three of these variables (empathy, social aggression, and social navigation) (Bjorkqvist, Osterman, & Kaukiainen, 2000; Kaukiainen et al., 1999). This study examines whether social aggression is correlated with Machiavellianism, or a manipulative orientation to others, and if this relationship is contingent upon the child’s self- reported level of empathy. It is hypothesized that children’s levels of Machiavellianism are related to the use of social aggression, but the strength of this relationship will vary according to level of empathy. Therefore, empathy is proposed to serve as a moderator of the relationship between Machiavellianism and social aggression. The investigator also conducted additional exploratory analyses using a portion of the sample identified by school records as Hispanic. The same relationships are explored with this portion of the sample to determine whether this population is unique with respect to these relationships. Using this portion of the sample, intercorrelations among the variables are reported as well. A sample of 280, nine- to 13-year-old students from a school district outside a metropolitan area participated. Each one completed instruments designed to measure social aggression, empathy, Machiavellianism, and acculturation. The results indicated that there was no linear relationship between Machiavellianism and social aggression, and further, there is no moderating effect of empathy. An exploratory analysis with Hispanic participants (n = 217) suggests the relationship between Machiavellianism and social aggression, and non-significant role of empathy as a moderator, do not differ for Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Interestingly, acculturation is positively correlated with social aggression and negatively correlated with empathy, suggesting that as children become more oriented to US culture, they are more likely to engage in social aggression and report lower overall levels of empathy. These findings contribute uniquely to the literature, and further, provide new information on these constructs using a Hispanic sample. Implications for intervention and future research are discussed. / text

Children’s social behaviours have significant implications to their adjustments. Aggressive children display emotional, behavioural, and social problems. On the other hand, prosocial children are better adjusted (for review, see Card, Stucky, Sawalani, & Little, 2008). Adopting the social cognitive approach, the present study aimed to investigate the relationships between several social-cognitive capacities related to empathy (i.e., perspective-taking, affect sharing, and emotion regulation) and social behaviours (physical aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behaviours) in children. The results showed that perspective-taking was the most predictive factor of both prosocial and aggressive behaviours, whereas the capacity to share emotions and to modulate emotion was found to have little predictive value to both positive and negative social behaviours. In addition, the present study also investigated the sex-related and age differences of aggressive behaviours in children. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, this study found that boys enacted more physical aggression than girls. However, sex-related difference in relational aggression was not found. Besides, older children were found to use more relational aggression but the trend of decreasing physical aggression across development was not evident. Clinical implications of the present findings were discussed. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Psychology

Much research has recently been directed at social aggression, which includes subtle and covert behaviors intended to harm the target. Evidence indicates that social aggression is associated with social maladjustment such as peer rejection and internalizing and externalizing problems. Despite increasing interest by researchers on the consequences of this form of aggression, relatively few studies have examined the etiology of social aggression. Previous research has demonstrated that depression and social anxiety may predict social aggression, however little research has examined the role of the family system in contributing to the development of this maladaptive behavior. Using path-analytic techniques, this study examined how family factors (parent-adolescent conflict, positive family relations, and maternal psychological control) affect subsequent social aggression one-year later after controlling for baseline levels of social aggression. Individual symptoms of depression and social evaluative anxiety were also incorporated in the model to determine if the effects of the family variables on later social aggression were mediated by the individual emotional adjustment of a child. Using competing models, this study compared model fit across boys and girls. The stability of social aggression over a 1 year period was also examined using confirmatory factor analysis techniques. Participants included in this study were 497 10- to 14-year-old middle school students. Results suggest that social aggression is a stable and chronic difficulty for boys and girls over a one year period. Positive family relations significantly negatively effected social aggression over the course of a year, above and beyond baseline subsequent levels of social aggression, for girls. Additionally, parent-adolescent conflict, positive family relations, and maternal psychological control were significantly related to baseline levels of social aggression. This study corroborated previous research on the deleterious effects of parent-adolescent conflict, less positive family relations, and maternal psychological control on depressive symptoms for both boys and girls. Additionally, positive family relations were also shown to reduce social evaluative anxiety for both boys and girls. Findings from this study emphasize the need for prevention and intervention efforts directed at the family system for improved adjustment of early adolescents. / text

This dissertation represents an attempt to better understand why physically abused children are more likely to develop aggressive tendencies. A sample of adolescents receiving child protection services was administered a battery of self-report measures on maltreatment, health, and well-being; an aggression measure was administered a year later. The specific focus was to determine whether aggressive youth were more likely to (1) have suffered harsher physical abuse, (2) generate violence outcome expectancies that favour recourse to aggression, and (3) report higher levels of abuse-related shame. Respectively, the second and third hypotheses were based on social information processing and shame-rage models of aggression. / Only the hypothesis of the fast study on maltreatment characteristics was supported. Victims of frequent and severe abuse were more likely to report aggression. As for the second and third study, the expectation of positive outcomes from violence and feelings of shame-rage (as indicated by high levels of guilt-free shame) were actually inversely related to aggression. / Even though these results went in the opposite direction of the hypotheses, they are not altogether in conflict with theoretical models. According to L. Rowell Huesmann's description of social information processing, a hostile worldview was considered a mediating factor in the development of aggression problems. The tendency for aggressive youth to expect negative rather than positive outcomes from violence can be interpreted as support for this view. Abuse-related shame was not related to aggression, but it did demonstrate the predicted association with anger and hostility. The suggestion therefore is that feeling shame as a result of abuse leads to pent-up rather than expressed rage. / Given these results, it is suggested that victims of harsh maltreatment be targeted for appropriate prevention and skills promotion programs. Also, future research should investigate whether the formation of problematic relationship schemas and the tendency to suppress abuse-related emotions contribute to the maintenance of aggression problems.

The Aggression Replacement Training Program (ART) is an approach to reduce aggression in Young Offenders. This program was implemented with a sample of youths on probation and living in the community (N = 21). The goal was to evaluate the efficacy of the program, and to measure changes in aggression, skill acquisition and recidivism rates. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design was used. The Aggression Questionnaire and Skillstreaming Checklist were the main source of data and results were compared pre- and posttest. Recidivism rates were determined six months after the start of the program. An improvement in aggression scores was found in the ART sample, but this was not statistically significant. Only 5.8% of the total sample that had recidivated, committed an aggressive crime. Recommendations are made to maximize the efficacy of the ART program for the future.

Thesis (M.A. in human development)--Washington State University, May 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-71).

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-144). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR32077

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 92-103).

Dissertation (MHSc--Health Science) -- AUT University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (74 leaves ; 30 cm.) in North Shore Campus Theses Collection (T 616.8914 WIL)