A Follow‐up of Aggressive Behaviour in Children

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to find out whether children who had displayed signs of aggressive behaviour when 8‐9 years of age continued showing a similar pattern at the age of 13. To investigate this question, a group of adolescents was assessed using the same set of questionnaires that had been given to them four years earlier. The results tend to support the hypothesis that for the majority of children, aggression is not a stable trait and cannot be accurately predicted as a recurrent pattern when using the opinions of teachers, peers or the children themselves as indicators. The results also confirm the findings of a previous study which indicated that there is little agreement between the various assessing groups as to which children are more aggressive. Some of the practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed; namely in relation to the controversy about the stability of non‐cognitive traits and the advisability of dealing with aggressive behaviour in the specific situation in which it occurs.