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Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment
1University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
Child Development
|June 1, 1995
Summary
Girls exhibit higher relational aggression than boys, challenging traditional views of childhood aggression. This study highlights the importance of examining gender-specific aggression forms and their impact on social-psychological adjustment.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Previous research indicates boys exhibit higher aggression than girls.
- This gender difference may stem from a focus on overt aggression, neglecting female-relevant forms.
- Relational aggression, a less-studied form, is hypothesized to be more prevalent in girls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate relational aggression as a distinct form of aggression in children.
- To examine gender differences in relational aggression.
- To explore the relationship between relational aggression and social-psychological adjustment.
Main Methods:
- Assessed relational aggression using a peer nomination instrument.
- Included measures for overt aggression (physical and verbal).
- Evaluated social-psychological adjustment in 491 third- through sixth-grade children.
Main Results:
- Confirmed the validity and distinctiveness of relational aggression as a construct.
- Found girls to be significantly more relationally aggressive than boys.
- Identified relationally aggressive children as at risk for adjustment difficulties, including rejection, loneliness, depression, and isolation.
Conclusions:
- Relational aggression is a valid and important construct in childhood aggression research.
- Gender differences in aggression may be more nuanced, with girls exhibiting higher relational aggression.
- Children engaging in relational aggression face significant social-psychological adjustment challenges.