PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE AGGRESSION IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE AS PRECURSORS TO ANTISOCIAL AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG-ADULTS

Three groups of adolescents who were 14 years old in 1974 were formed on the basis of peer nominations and teacher ratings in an ongoing lon gitudinal study: 1) reactively aggressive (REA) individuals who displa yed reactive, that is, self-defensive aggression but not proactive agg ression (43 boys, 35 girls); 2) proactively aggressive (PROA) individu als who attacked another person without a reason (56 boys, 35 girls); and 3) nonaggressive (NONA) individuals who were low in proactive and reactive aggression (48 boys, 45 girls). The groups were compared at a ges 8, 14, and 27 in variables representing the constructs of a two-di mensional model of emotional and behavioral regulation. The REA Ss wer e characterized by higher self-control, especially constructiveness, a t each age and better adult adjustment than the PROA Ss. The PROA male s were prone to externalizing problems and criminality in adulthood, w hereas the PROA females were prone to internalizing problems and neuro ticism in adulthood. Both exhibited conduct problems in adolescence, a nd became heavy users of alcohol in adulthood. The PROA Ss had more ch ildren at age 27 than the other Ss. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.