title: The multifaceted impact of peer relations on aggressive-disruptive behavior in early elementary school.
abstract: Following a large, diverse sample of 4,096 children in 27 schools, this study evaluated the impact of 3 aspects of peer relations, measured concurrently, on subsequent child aggressive-disruptive behavior during early elementary school: peer dislike, reciprocated friends' aggressiveness, and classroom levels of aggressive-disruptive behavior. Teachers rated child aggressive-disruptive behavior in 1st and 3rd grades, and peer relations were assessed during 2nd grade. Results indicated that heightened classroom aggressive-disruptive behavior levels were related to proximal peer relations, including an increased likelihood of having aggressive friends and lower levels of peer dislike of aggressive-disruptive children. Controlling for 1st grade aggressive-disruptive behavior, the three 2nd grade peer experiences each made unique contributions to 3rd grade child aggressive-disruptive behavior. These findings replicate and extend a growing body of research documenting the multifaceted nature of peer influence on aggressive-disruptive behavior in early elementary school. They highlight the importance of the classroom ecology and proximal peer relations in the socialization of aggressive-disruptive behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, PA 16802, USA. cjp212@psu.edu
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bierman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010379:Peer Group; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic