"You meant to do that:" Examining reactive and proactive aggression and their relations to social and emotional correlates

• Author / Creator

  Bender, Stephanie

• This study investigated the relations between teacher-rated reactive and proactive aggression and self-ratings of peer intimacy, peer group integration, inhibition of anger and coping with anger in children in grade 4 to grade 6 (n = 519). Grade and gender differences in the study variables were also examined. Although not significant, as predicted, there was a trend towards significance where proactive aggression increased by grade; however, contrary to predictions, the occurrence of reactive aggression did not decrease by grade. The two functions of aggression were strongly correlated with one another. Males were reported more aggressive than females and self-reported lower anger management and less peer group intimacy than females. Further, females who were rated as more reactively aggressive reported less peer group integration and peer intimacy. Males who were reported as reactively aggressive also reported less peer group integration. Reactive and proactive aggression in males was related to coping with anger.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Children
  • Peer relations
  • Reactive and proactive aggression
  • Anger management

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R39S43

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.