THE COURSE OF AGGRESSION IN FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN WITH AND WITHOUT COMORBID ANXIOUS SYMPTOMS

We studied the course of aggressive behavior in an epidemiologically d efined sample of first graders with and without comorbid anxious sympt oms. Our primary purpose in doing so was to understand whether the sta bility of aggression in young children was attenuated or strengthened in the presence of comorbid anxiety. Previous studies of older childre n and adolescents had produced equivocal findings in this regard. Data on anxious symptoms were obtained through an interview of the childre n, whereas aggressive behavior was assessed through the use of a teach er interview and peer nominations. Assessments were performed in the f all and spring of first grade. In contrast to children classified as a ggressive alone in the fall of first grade, boys and girls classified as aggressive and anxious in the fall of first grade were significantl y more likely to be classified as aggressive in the spring in terms of teacher ratings and/or peer nominations of aggression. Thus our findi ngs suggest that the link between early and later aggression may be st rengthened in the presence of comorbid anxious symptoms rather than at tenuated. Future studies are needed to identify the mechanisms by whic h the course of aggression is influenced by the presence of comorbid a nxiety.