Prediction of elementary school children's socially appropriate and problem behavior from anger reactions at age 4-6 years

Four- to 6-year-olds' anger reactions were observed in preschool/kindergart en and their social functioning was assessed at ages 4-6, 6-8, and &10 year s. Teachers reported on socially appropriate and social/prosocial behavior, and parents reported on children's problem behaviors. Early anger reaction s (especially the use of Verbal objections, physical retaliation, and escap e behavior) predicted social functioning years later; findings were stronge st for teachers' reports of socially appropriate behavior and parents' repo rts of problem behavior. For aspects of social functioning other than teach er-reported socially appropriate behavior (prosocial/sacial behavior and lo w aggression and disruptive behavior), these relations were not due solely to the effects of social skills at age 4-6 on both anger reactions and qual ity of social functioning in elementary school. Findings were consistent wi th the possibility that level of social skills at age 4-6 partially mediate d the effects of anger reactions on subsequent teacher-reported socially ap propriate behavior.