Stability of aggressive behaviors and children's peer relationships

The present research longitudinally evaluated the association of group and dyadic peer relation factors to the stability of aggression. Beginning in g rades 2 through 5, children (N = 212) completed peer nominations for aggres sive behaviors, sociometric ratings, sociometric nominations (like most and like least), and friendship nominations for 2 successive years. Children w ere classified into four Stability of Aggression Groups: Never Aggressive, Stable Aggressive, Discontinued Aggression, Became Aggressive. Aggressive c hildren were evaluated as more disliked at each time of testing (i.e., Stab le Aggressive and Discontinued Aggression at Time 1; Stable Aggressive and Became Aggressive at Time 2). Furthermore, sociometric ratings of children at Time 1 who became aggressive by Time 2 foreshadowed this transition. Chi ldren who discontinued aggressive behaviors were friends with children who were evaluated by peers as significantly less aggressive than the friends o f children who continued aggressive behaviors. These findings suggest that early identification of children at risk for developing aggressive behavior may be possible through group-level peer evaluations, and identification o f those at risk for continuing aggressive behavior may be possible through the evaluation of special dyadic friendships. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.