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The Association Between Perpetration of Relational Aggressive Tendencies and Adolescent Antisocial Behavior
Briana Amador1, Timothy Lawrence1, Qiyue Zhang1
1Department of Educational Psychology & Human Development, School of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
Behavioral Sciences & the Law
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Relational aggression initially increases then declines in adolescence. Early relational aggression predicts later alcohol use, physical aggression, and rule-breaking behaviors in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Behavior
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Limited research exists on relational aggression during early adolescence.
- Understanding its developmental trajectory and links to antisocial behaviors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental onset and growth rate of relational aggression in adolescents.
- To assess the impact of relational aggression's onset and growth on physical aggression, alcohol use, and rule-breaking conduct.
- To account for gender and race in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Latent growth curve modeling was used with a large adolescent sample (N=4718).
- Relational aggression was tracked over time (Time 1 to Time 3).
- Associations with later antisocial behaviors (Time 4) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Relational aggression initially peaked and subsequently declined by Time 3.
- The onset and growth rate of relational aggression were positively linked to later physical aggression, alcohol use, and rule-breaking behaviors.
- These associations remained significant after controlling for gender and race.
Conclusions:
- While relational aggression tends to decrease over adolescence, its early emergence is a significant predictor of broader antisocial behaviors.
- Findings highlight the importance of early identification and intervention for relational aggression to prevent escalation into more severe conduct problems.
- The study contributes to understanding the developmental pathways linking relational aggression to other antisocial outcomes in adolescence.
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