ANGER COPING INTERVENTION FOR AGGRESSIVE-CHILDREN - CONCEPTUAL MODELSAND OUTCOME EFFECTS

We review social cognitive models of children's aggressive behavior an d cognitive-behavioral interventions based on these models. Findings o f the distortions and deficiencies that aggressive children have in th eir social information processing are presented. Several current issue s in social cognition research in this area are reviewed, including (a ) applicability of the social cognitive models to severe aggression an d to adolescents; (b) role of prior expectations influencing social pe rception; (c) influence of social goals, cognitive operation style, an d arousal on information processing; and (d) the more distal influence s of parent behavior and parent social cognition on children's social cognition. An anger coping program consistent with the social cognitiv e model is presented, and the outcome effects for this intervention an d similar cognitive-behavioral interventions are reviewed.