Reducing aggressive behavior in boys with a social cognitive group treatment: results of a randomized, controlled trial (original) (raw)
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A qualitative and serial analysis of social problem solving in aggressive boys
Journal of abnormal child psychology, 1991
Social problem solving skills" in 84 elementary school aged boys were assessed to identify those responses most salient in the prediction of ratings of aggressive and socially withdrawn behavior. Aggressive and socially withdrawn boys did not differ from the control group in the number of effective first sohttions generated to the hypothetical stories. The control group generated significantly more effective solutions as second alternatives to the stories than did the aggressive or socially withdrawn boys. In addition, the number of effective second responses generated significantly predicted both aggression and social withdrawal after controlling for verbal problem solving. Results are discussed in terms of differences in cognitive processes as well as implications for treatmerit.
Aggression and Violent Behavior, 2002
Social skills training (SST) has emerged as a frontline treatment approach for aggressive children and adolescents. The present review evaluates this sizable literature from a developmental -clinical perspective. More specifically, the review summarizes key developmental findings, assesses the status of existing efforts to integrate these developmental findings into clinical research, and discusses intervention implications. Summaries of developmental findings are divided into six major areas: age, gender, race, identification of intervention samples, social cognition, and peer group influences. The review indicates that efforts to incorporate developmental findings and principles into clinical research have fallen woefully short. Even the most fundamental developmental considerations were frequently overlooked. Despite these general limitations, the review highlights a number of noteworthy developmental -clinical integration attempts and concludes with a discussion of directions for future research. D
Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 2005
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Evaluative factors in social problem solving by aggressive boys
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1989
Components of social problem solving (problem definition, generation and prioritization of solutions, and generation and evaluation of consequences) were assessed in high aggressive and low aggressive boys from grades 2– 3 and 5–6. When compared with their low aggressive peers, high aggressive boys at both grade levels were more likely to (1) define social problems based on the perception that others were hostilely-motivated adversaries, (2) generate few consequences for exhibiting aggression, (3) choose a “second-best” solution that was rated as ineffective, and (4) evaluate their own affective reactions to self-generated consequences of aggression as “wouldn't care” or as not “unhappy. “ In addition, within the group of aggressive boys, problem definition was found to be significantly related to both number of solutions generated and effectiveness of solutions that subjects chose as best and second-best. These findings are discussed in terms of early patterns of cognitive mediation that differentiate high aggressive children from their low aggressive peers.
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2000
This intervention attempted to reduce the aggressive behavior of aggressive boys by making them aware of methods they use to fulfill basic needs and helping them develop more constructive methods to do so. The intervention addressed the boys' cognitive tendencies, social skills, and relevant beliefs. Boys in the treatment group participated in role playing, videotaping, and structured discussion. Aggressive and nonaggressive groups differed on a preintervention measure of prosocial value orientation. Aggressive boys in the control and treatment groups differed on a postintervention measure of hostile attribution bias and, in one of the two participating schools, on counts of in-house suspensions. In the past decade, youth violence has increased dramatically in the United States (Blumstein, 1995). This has lead to a proliferation of interventions aimed at reducing aggression (Eron, Gentry, & Schlegel, 1994). Both basic research and interventions have focused on boys, who are more physically aggressive. The aim of the present study was to design, implement, and evaluate an intervention that focused on aggressive boys' basic needs, their interpersonal goals, and their ability to fulfill these in a constructive, nonaggressive manner. Extensive research has shown that reactively aggressive boys lack the cognitive tendencies (see Crick & Dodge, 1994) and social skills (see McFall, 1982) to fulfill their goals in prosocial ways. They tend to interpret the intentions that underlie others' behavior toward them as hostile. This leads them to retaliate against people whose actions are ambiguous and who may mean them no harm (Dodge & Crick, 1990). Aggressive boys tend to have a limited ability to take the perspective of others and to understand what others think and feel (e.g., Pepler, Byrd, & King, 1991). They also see aggression as normal, acceptable behavior (Huesmann & Eron, 1984). It is not surprising, therefore, that in many situations, especially those involving conflict, they become aggressive.
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2012
Background:For elementary school-children with aggressive behaviour problems, there is a strong need for effective preventive interventions to interrupt the developmental trajectory towards more serious behaviour problems.Aim:The aim of this RCT-study was to evaluate a school-based individual tailor-made intervention (Stay Cool Kids), designed to reduce aggressive behaviour in selected children by enhancing cognitive behavioural skills.Method:The sample consisted of 48 schools, with 264 fourth-grade children selected by their teachers because of elevated levels of externalizing behaviour (TRF T-score > 60), randomly assigned to the intervention or no-intervention control condition.Results:The intervention was found to be effective in reducing reactive and proactive aggressive behaviour as reported by children, mothers, fathers or teachers, with effect sizes ranging from .11 to .32. Clinically relevant changes in teacher-rated externalizing behaviour were found: the intervention r...
Trajectories of aggressive behavior and children’s social-cognitive development
The current study investigated developmental trajectories of teacher-reported aggressive behavior and whether these trajectories are associated with social-cognitive development (i.e., aggressive problem-solving) across the first three elementary grades in a large sample from Switzerland (N = 1,146). Semiparametric group-based analyses were employed to identify distinct pathways of aggressive behavior across grades. Five distinct trajectory classes were identified: low-stable, medium-stable, decreasing, increasing, and high-stable. Childrens’ aggressive problem-solving strategies differentiated the high-stable from the other aggressive behavior trajectories. The findings are discussed within a social-cognitive developmental framework.
Development and Psychopathology, 2019
This study originated in collaboration with Thomas Dishion because of concerns that a group format for aggressive children might dampen the effects of cognitive-behavioral intervention. Three hundred sixty aggressive preadolescent children were screened through teacher and parent ratings. Schools were randomized to receive either an individual or a group format of the child component of the same evidence-based program. The results indicate that there is variability in how group-based cognitive-behavioral intervention can affect aggressive children through a long 4-year follow-up after the end of the intervention. Aggressive children who have higher skin conductance reactivity (potentially an indicator of poorer emotion regulation) and who have a variant of the oxytocin receptor gene that may be associated with being hyperinvolved in social bonding have better outcomes in their teacher-rated externalizing behavior outcomes over time if they were seen individually rather than in group...