More Than Meets the Eye: The Covert Nature of Female Aggression in a Kindergarten Through Second Grade Population

The current study addressed the verification of the existence of relational aggression in boys and girls in a kindergarten through second grade population. There has been little, if any, empirical research conducted with children in kindergarten through second grade concerning their use of relational aggression. The current research was conducted with teachers' reports of aggression styles displayed by their kindergarten through second grade students (N = 257). This research was conducted to compare the incidence of Relational aggression in boys and girls and to compare the incidence of overt aggression in boys and girls. This research also examined whether the older children in this sample exhibited different styles of relational aggression than the younger children in this sample, as it was hypothesized that older children would engage in more covert relational styles of aggression and younger children would engage in more overt relational styles of aggression. Data were collected from teachers via modified and widely accepted teacher report forms: the Preschool Social Behavior Scale - Teacher Form (Crick, Casas, & Mosher, 1997) and the Child Social Behavior Scale - Teacher Form (Crick, 1996). Results confirmed 2 of 3 hypotheses. Teachers reported greater incidence of relational aggression among girls in a kindergarten through second grade age group. Teachers reported greater incidences of overt aggression among boys in a kindergarten through second grade age group. This research failed to find any differences in the styles of relational aggression used among the older and younger children in this sample. Overall, the current findings support the position that children in a kindergarten through second grade population engage in relational aggression. It also supported the position that both females and males engage in aggressive behaviors; however, they use different styles to convey their aggression.

Name thesis:degree_name

Education Specialist

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Psychology

Year

2005

Author dc:creator

• Janoski, Allison

• Education
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/501

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-1504