Citation

Leadbeater BJ, Boone EM, Sangster NA, Mathieson LC. Aggressive Behav. 2006; 32(4): 409-419.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, International Society for Research on Aggression, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/ab.20139

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

While recent research using peer ratings demonstrates positive relations between youth's reputations for aggression and popularity, it is not clear whether aggressive youth themselves make these links. Using youth's self-reports, this study assessed the associations of relational and physical aggression with indicators of both personal gains in peer relations (perceived popularity and receipt of prosocial attention) and personal costs in terms of retaliation or depressive responses (peer victimization and depressive symptoms) in a large sample (n = 455) of eighth- to tenth-grade students. Regression analyses reveal that more relationally aggressive youth report more prosocial attention but also more relational (but not physical) victimization. In contrast, more physically aggressive youth report more depressive symptoms and physical (but not relational) victimization. Findings suggest that some costs of aggression (victimization) are higher for boys while others (depressive symptoms) are greater for girls. Group differences were also found for aggressive, victimized, and aggressive/victimized youth compared to the typical low aggressive/low victimized youth. These data suggest that the costs of relational and physical aggression may outweigh benefits except for aggressive non-victimized boys.

Language: en