Why are girls less physically aggressive than boys? Personality and parenting mediators of physical aggression

The primary goal of the present analysis was to determine whether the commo nly observed gender difference in physical aggression could be accounted fo r by gender differences in selected personality and social contextual facto rs. Eighty-nine adolescents (M age = 16.0; 52% female; 53% European-America ns, 38% Latinos) completed self-report measures, including sympathy (empath ic concern and perspective taking) and parental involvement (support and mo nitoring). Mediation? analyses revealed that relatively high levels of both empathic concern and parental monitoring accounted for relatively low leve ls of physical aggression In addition, sympathy (for males) and parental in volvement (males and females) were negatively related to physical aggressio n. Discussion focused on theoretical and practical implications of these fi ndings.