Teachers' Assessment of Physical Aggression With the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire: A Multitrait-Multimethod Evaluation of Convergent and Discriminant Validity (original) (raw)
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The distinctiveness of physical aggression from other antisocial behavior is widely accepted but little research has explicitly focused on young children to empirically test this assumption. A MTMM approach was employed to confirm the distinctiveness of physical aggression from nonaggressive antisocial behavior in early childhood. In addition, the convergent validity of teacher reports of physical aggression was investigated on a measure that contained age-appropriate behavior items selected from the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ). Assessments of physical aggression versus nonaggressive antisocial behavior of 117 kindergartners with different behavior profiles were obtained using three measures varying in source and/or method: 1) teacher reports on the PBQ, 2) short interviews with teachers, and 3) classroom observations. The MTMM matrix was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results provided reasonable support for the discrimination between physical aggression and nonaggressive antisocial behavior. In addition, strong support was found for the convergent validity of teacher-reported physical aggression using PBQ items.
Predictors of physical and verbal aggression in preschoolers
2015
Background: childhood aggression, particularly in preschoolers, is one of the most common behavioral problems throughout the world. Therefore, it is important to identify the predictors of this problem. This study was conducted to determine the predictors of physical and verbal aggression in preschoolers. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on preschoolers in Rasht in 2013. Study samples included 614, 5 to 7 year-old children who were selected by two-stage cluster sampling of preschool centers under the supervision of Education and Welfare organization of Rasht. Data collection tool included two questionnaires. The scale aggression in preschool children was used to measure the aggression and the questionnaire consisted of 3 parts (individual, familial, social and economic) was used to examine the factors related to the aggression. Then the data was analyzed by PSS software version 21, using descriptive and analytical statics. Results: The average score of v...
Forms and Functions of Aggression in Early Childhood
Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology : the official journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 2018
Evidence supports the distinctions between forms (relational vs. physical) and functions (proactive vs. reactive) of aggression; however, little research has investigated these two subtype frameworks simultaneously or by teacher-report in early childhood. We examined the factor structures, interrelations, and longitudinal associations of teacher-reported forms and functions of aggression in young children. Preschool and kindergarten students (N = 133; ages 3-6 years; 58.6% male) were rated by their teachers during the spring semester and on two subsequent occasions over the following school year (a three-wave cross-sequential design). Bayesian confirmatory factor analyses and path models were estimated, controlling for covariates and cross-classification of students within classrooms. Correlated two-factor models showed acceptable measurement characteristics for both aggression frameworks. Within and between frameworks, aggression subtypes were highly correlated with one another. Ph...
Physical Aggression During Early Childhood: Trajectories and Predictors
PEDIATRICS, 2004
Objectives. Physical aggression in children is a major public health problem. Not only is childhood physical aggression a precursor of the physical and mental health problems that will be visited on victims, but also aggressive children themselves are at higher risk of alcohol and drug abuse, accidents, violent crimes, depression, suicide attempts, spouse abuse, and neglectful and abusive parenting. Furthermore, violence commonly results in serious injuries to the perpetrators themselves. Although it is unusual for young children to harm seriously the targets of their physical aggression, studies of physical aggression during infancy indicate that by 17 months of age, the large majority of children are physically aggressive toward siblings, peers, and adults. This study aimed, first, to identify the trajectories of physical aggression during early childhood and, second, to identify antecedents of high levels of physical aggression early in life. Such antecedents could help to understand better the developmental origins of violence later in life and to identify targets for preventive interventions.
Children's aggressive and learning behavior, academic skills and cognitive development before school and in school, and children's adjustment in school is studied, using parent, preschool teacher and school teacher reports. Data were collected twice-first, in spring in preschool and, second, in fall in school. The participants were 151 6-7-year-old children (77 boys and 74 girls), their parents, preschool and school teachers. Preschool aggression and learning behaviors were related to school behaviors, skills and victimization. In addition to preschool teachers' reports, parents' reports had an additional predictive value for aggression. The concordance between preschool teachers' and parents' evaluations was not high.
Aggressive Behavior, 2008
We investigated the reliability and (convergent and discriminant) validity of an observational measure of physical aggression in toddlers and preschoolers, originally developed by . The observation instrument is based on a developmental definition of aggression. Physical aggression was observed twice in a laboratory setting, the first time when children were 1-3 years old, and again 1 year later. Observed physical aggression was significantly related to concurrent mother-rated physical aggression for 2-to 4-year-olds, but not to maternal ratings of nonaggressive externalizing problems, indicating the measure's discriminant validity. However, we did not find significant 1-year stability of observed physical aggression in any of the age groups, whereas mother-rated physical aggression was significantly stable for all ages. The observational measure shows promise, but may have assessed state rather than trait aggression in our study. Aggr. Behav.
Aggression During Early Childhood: Associated Factors In A Clinical Sample
Marmara Medical Journal, 2011
Objective: Early onset aggression is a public health problem. We aimed to investigate the associated factors of aggressive behaviours in preschool children. Patients and Methods: Seventy two children (aged between 1 and 6) with primary complaints of severe aggressive behaviours by their parents and 72 healthy controls were included in the study. A semi-structured inquiry-form on demographic features, personal and psychiatric characteristics of parents and mother-child relationship patterns were given to the mothers. The Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were given to the mothers. Results: Parental education levels were lower in the patient group. Parents' problematic experiences with anger, mothers' feelings of insufficiency in parenting and marital quarreling were found to be higher in the patient group. The frequency of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and the postnatal period as well as mothers' current BDI scores were higher in the patient group. According to a logistic regression analysis, the ABC hyperactivity score, mothers' feelings of insufficiency in parenting and fathers' problematic experiences with anger were found to be associated with aggressive behaviours in the patients. Conclusion: Aggression in preschool children is associated with multiple factors. The examination of parental characteristics appears to be especially important in the evaluation of affected children.
A longitudinal study of relational and physical aggression in preschool
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2006
To understand the development of relational aggression during early childhood, 91 girls and boys (M age = 39.0; SD = 7.6 months) and their teachers participated in an 18-month longitudinal study. Children were observed for relational and physical aggression during free play in four time periods. Individually administered interviews were conducted to provide peer reports of relational and physical aggression. Teachers completed measures of relational and physical aggression and peer rejection. Findings support the psychometric properties of the observational methods for use during early childhood. Results suggest that girls are more relationally aggressive than male peers and boys are more physically aggressive than female peers. Moreover, children primarily direct their aggressive behavior at same-sex peers. Finally, relational aggression was found to be moderately stable during early childhood and was associated with future peer rejection problems. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of developing methods to investigate behavior patterns for understanding the early development of and future social-psychological risks that may be associated with relational aggression.