Physical aggression during early childhood: trajectories and predictors.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to identify the trajectories of physical aggression during early childhood and antecedents of high levels of physical aggression early in life.


METHODS
572 families with a 5-month-old newborn were recruited. Assessments of physical aggression frequency were obtained from mothers at 17, 30, and 42 months after birth. Using a semiparametric mixture model and multivariate logit regression analyses, distinct clusters of physical aggression trajectories were identified, as well as family and child characteristics that predict high level aggression trajectories.


RESULTS
THREE TRAJECTORIES OF PHYSICAL AGGRESSION WERE IDENTIFIED: 1. children (28% of sample) who displayed little or no physical aggression, 2. approximately 58% followed a rising trajectory of modest aggression, and 3. a rising trajectory of high physical aggression (14%).


CONCLUSIONS
Children who are at highest risk of not learning to regulate physical aggression in early childhood have mothers with a history of antisocial behaviour during their school years, mothers who start childbearing early and who smoke during pregnancy, and parents who have low income and have serious problems living together. Preventive interventions should target families with high-risk profiles on these variables.
Tremblay
Richard E
RE
University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec.
Nagin
Daniel S
DS
Séguin
Jean R
JR
Zoccolillo
Mark
M
Zelazo
Philip D
PD
Boivin
Michel
M
Pérusse
Daniel
D
Japel
Christa
C