Related Experiment Videos
Change trajectories of aggressive behavior among children in long-term residential care
Shalhevet Attar-Schwartz1, Rami Benbenishty2, Ilan Roziner3
1Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel.
Insights
Aggressive behavior patterns in children in residential care varied, with some improving and others worsening over time. Maternal difficulties and special education predicted less improvement, highlighting targets for intervention.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Residential Care Research
Background:
- Aggressive behaviors in children within residential care settings present complex developmental challenges.
- Understanding change trajectories and their predictors is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine aggressive behavior change trajectories in children in Israeli residential care over four years.
- To identify child, family, and placement predictors of these trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) applied to longitudinal data of 799 children.
- Utilized the TRF aggressive behavior subscale for outcome measurement.
- Analyzed child, parent, and placement characteristics as predictors.
Main Results:
- Four distinct trajectories were identified: stable-low (45%), stable-high (13%), improvement (20%), and deterioration (22%).
- Predictors of high or increasing aggression included maternal difficulties, special education enrollment, intensive care, and non-immigrant status.
Conclusions:
- Childhood aggression in residential care is not monolithic, with distinct developmental pathways.
- Maternal factors, educational placement, and care intensity significantly influence aggression trajectories.
- Findings can inform targeted resource allocation for at-risk children in residential care.
Abstract:
This study examined change trajectories of aggressive behaviors among children in long-term residential care in Israel and identified various child-, family-, and placement-related predictors of the change trajectories. Records of 799 children (average age at the beginning of the four years=10.4, 33.1% female) in their first four consecutive years in care were analyzed using the TRF aggressive behavior subscale (Achenbach, 1991) to measure the outcome variable. Children's and parents' characteristics and placement-related factors were used to explain variance in change trajectories. Latent Class Growth Analyses identified four aggressive behavior trajectories: 'stable-low' levels of aggressiveness over time (45% of the children), 'stable-high' levels (13%), 'improvement' (20%), and 'deterioration' (22%). Predictors of less resilient trajectories (i.e., stable-high or increasing aggressiveness) included mothers' difficulties and disabilities, children's attendance of special education classes, more intensive type of care, and non-immigrant status. The Attachment Theory, Life Course Perspective theories, and the General Strain Theory are used to interpret some of the findings of the study. Identifying the factors that predispose children to certain patterns of change may help direct resources to children at risk of having high or increasing levels of aggression while in residential care.