title: Known risk factors for violence predict 12-month-old infants' aggressiveness with peers.
abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that 12-month-old infants' use of force against peers is associated with known risk factors for violence. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study, which included laboratory observations of firstborn British infants (N = 271) during simulated birthday parties. No gender differences in aggressiveness were observed. The infants' observed aggressiveness was significantly correlated with mothers' mood disorder during pregnancy and with mothers' history of conduct problems. Infants' observed aggressiveness was correlated with parents' ratings of infants' anger and aggression, which were also predicted by mothers' mood disorder and history of conduct problems. Our findings indicate that infants at risk for serious aggression can already be identified when the motor ability to use physical force first enters the human repertoire.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK. haydf@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: Dale F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mundy
authors.forename: Siwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: Cerith S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Perra
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goodyer
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harold
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thapar
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Goozen
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*