WAR AND CHILDRENS AGGRESSIVE AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR

The aim of this study was to investigate whether, and how, extreme env ironmental influence, such as a war situation, can affect the developm ent of children's aggressive and prosocial behaviour. A combined longi tudinal-cross-sectional design was used in the study. Subjects were pr eschool children whose behaviour was rated on the Children's Aggressiv e and Prosocial Behaviour Rating Scale (Zuzul, Kerestes and Vlahovic-S tetic, 1990) by their teachers. At the beginning of 1991 (before the w ar in Croatia started) the behaviour of two groups of children (one fi ve years old and one six years old) was assessed. One year later, the younger group was assessed again. Another group of five-year-old child ren was also included and rated at the same time. Data were analysed a ccording to age, sex and the time of measurements. The analyses of lon gitudinal data and cross-sectional comparisons support the conclusion that the war had a strong impact on the development of prosocial behav iour. In this period, children's prosocial behaviour had increased, wh ile aggressive behaviour had not changed. Results are discussed in ter ms of developmental changes and the effects of war on children's behav iour.