Article

The Developmental Trajectories of Adolescent Physical Aggression and Their Predictors

Author

김세원,김예성

Information

pp. 87~107 / 2009 Vol.16 No.2

Abstract

The present study used growth mixture modeling to identify discrete patterns of physical aggression within 3,449 adolescents. The self-reported physical aggression levels of young people were taken from the KYPS, measured longitudinally from 2nd grade in middle school to 3rd grade in high school, and was then used to define growth trajectories. Six developmental trajectories were found: a chronic high-level trajectory, a low early and increasing trajectory, a persistent no/low trajectory, a high early and steeply decreasing trajectory, a moderate-level trajectory, and a high early and slightly decreasing trajectory. These trajectory classes adequately explained the development of physical aggression in boys and girls. Gender, self-regulation, peer attachment, numbers of deviant peers, teacher and parents attachment were all significantly associated with trajectory class membership. The implications of the results for early intervention are also explained, with an emphasis on the identification of at-risk adolescents.

Keywords