AGGRESSION, SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE, AND RACE AS PREDICTORS OF NEGATIVE ADOLESCENT OUTCOMES

Objective: The current study examined a mixed-race, longitudinal sampl e of 114 boys to assess the relative power of aggression, low peer acc eptance, and race in predicting a broad range of adolescent outcomes a nd behaviors. Method: Outcomes were assessed through self-report and t hrough peer, teacher, and independent observer ratings. Results: Resul ts indicate that preadolescent levels of aggression are predictive of boys' subsequent adolescent involvement in marijuana, drugs, and alcoh ol and in delinquent activity. Aggression and low peer acceptance serv ed as predictors of teacher, peer, and independent observer ratings of externalizing and internalizing behavior at follow-up. Results also i ndicate that peer ratings of social acceptance and of aggressive behav ior operate differently across racial groups, when predicting to self- reported follow-up behaviors. Conclusions: Aggressive and socially dis liked boys are at risk for engaging in a progressive series of behavio rs that increase their engagement in contranormative behavior. The mod erating effects of race may be due to biases in elementary school peer ratings in mixed-race samples, or they may represent actual differenc es in how early risk markers operate with boys of different racial sta tus.