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Updated: Jul 11, 2025
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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
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Aggression and Irritability in Middle Childhood: Between- and Within-Person Associations
Gretchen R Perhamus1, Jamie M Ostrov1, Dianna Murray-Close2
1Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York.
Summary
Irritability is a risk factor for aggression in children. Higher irritability predicts more physical and relational aggression, especially in boys, over time.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Childhood Aggression Research
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Understanding the developmental trajectories of aggression is crucial for effective intervention strategies in middle childhood.
- The interplay between irritability and different forms of aggression (physical and relational) requires nuanced investigation.
- Previous research has explored aggression, but disentangling within- and between-person effects of irritability remains a key area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test bidirectional associations between irritability and physical/relational aggression in middle childhood.
- To differentiate between within-person and between-person effects of irritability on aggression trajectories.
- To examine gender differences and the impact of controlling for other externalizing problems.
Main Methods:
- Latent curve models with structured residuals (LCM-SR) were employed over one year.
- A diverse sample of 704 children (grades 3-5) participated.
- Data collection included teacher-reports (irritability, attention problems, delinquency) and self-reports (aggression) at three time points.
Main Results:
- Higher average irritability predicted higher initial levels of both physical and relational aggression.
- Irritability consistently predicted physical aggression over time, while its effect on relational aggression decreased.
- Boys exhibited higher initial physical aggression, but no other significant gender differences were observed; no within-person effects were found.
Conclusions:
- Irritability acts as a between-person risk factor for heightened physical and relational aggression in middle childhood.
- The persistent effect of irritability on physical aggression underscores its long-term impact.
- Considering affective processes like irritability is vital for understanding the development of aggression.
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