Testing a Higher Order Model of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior: The Role of Aggression Subtypes
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Updated: Oct 13, 2026

The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
Kristin J Perry1, Jamie M Ostrov2
1Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, 478 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260-4110, USA. kperry5@buffalo.edu.
Abstract:
This study assessed how the forms and functions of aggression fit into a higher order model of internalizing and externalizing behavior, for children in early childhood (N = 332, M age = 47.11 months, SD = 7.32). The lower order internalizing factors were depressed affect, anxious-fearfulness, and asocial behavior (i.e., social withdrawal) and the lower order externalizing factors were deception and hyperactivity. The forms and functions of aggression were crossed to create four factors: reactive relational, reactive physical, proactive relational, and proactive physical aggression. Seven confirmatory factor models were tested. Results supported a two-factor externalizing model where reactive and proactive relational aggression and deception loaded on one externalizing factor and reactive and proactive physical aggression and hyperactivity loaded on another externalizing factor.
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