@article{ref1,
title="Developmental trajectories of peer-reported aggressive behavior: the role of friendship understanding, friendship quality, and friends' aggressive behavior",
journal="Psychology of violence",
year="2015",
author="Malti, Tina and McDonald, Kristina and Rubin, Kenneth H. and Rose-Krasnor, Linda and Booth-LaForce, Cathryn",
volume="5",
number="4",
pages="402-410",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To investigate developmental trajectories in peer-reported aggressive behavior across the transition from elementary-to-middle school, and whether aggressive behavior trajectories were associated with friendship quality, friends' aggressive behavior, and the ways in which children think about their friendships. <br><br>METHOD: Participants included a community sample of 230 5(th) grade children who were assessed when they made a transition from elementary-to-middle school (6(th) grade). Peer nominations were used to assess the target child's and friend's aggressive behavior. Self- and friend reports were used to measure friendship quality; friendship understanding was assessed via a structured interview. <br><br>RESULTS: General Growth Mixture Modeling (GGMM) revealed three distinct trajectories of peer-reported aggressive behavior across the school transition: low-stable, decreasing, and increasing. Adolescents' understanding of friendship formation differentiated the decreasing from the low-stable aggressive behavior trajectories, and the understanding of friendship trust differentiated the increasing from the low-stable aggressive and decreasing aggressive behavior trajectories. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that a sophisticated understanding of friendship may serve as a protective factor for initially aggressive adolescents as they transition into middle school. Promoting a deepened understanding of friendship relations and their role in one's own and others' well-being may serve as an important prevention and intervention strategy to reduce aggressive behavior.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2152-0828",
doi="10.1037/a0039685",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0039685"
}