Abstract
This study assessed 4 dimensions of aggression (A): Physical aggression against peers (PAAP), verbal aggression against adults (VAAA), aggressive impulses (AI) and aggressive inhibitory responses (AIR). 43 boys and 63 girls aged 10-12 years completed the Olweus Multifacted Aggression Inventory following Tanner staging. 36% of boys (Pub-B) and 45% of girls (Pub-G) were in early puberty (EP). The remaining boys (Pre-B) and girls (Pre-G) were prepubertal. Wilcoxon's signed ranks test for independent samples was used to compare median Olweus scores (OS). Pub-B had higher PAAP scores (p<.001) and boderline higher VAAA scores (g=1.90) than Pre-B who had higher AIR scores (p<.05). Pub-B had higher VAAA (p<.05) and PAAP (p<.001) scores than Pub-G who had higher AIR scores (p<.01). AI scores were the same in all groups. There were no differences in any OS scores between Pre-B and Pre-G nor between Pre-G and Pub-G. The finding that OS do not differ in Pre-G vs. Pre-B suggests that sex related variables influencing A are randomly distributed before EP. The higher OS in Pub-B may reflect changes associated with EP, ie. increase in testosterone. The failure to detect differences in AI suggests that the feelings of A are similar in both sexes, before and during EP. Higher AIR scores in Pub-G vs. Pub-B suggests that control of AI is different between sexes. Sex related variables associated with EP may play a role in the development of A in normal youth.
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Finkelstein, J., Preece, M. & Tanner, J. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN NORMAL CHILDREN AND EARLY ADOLESCENTS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 97 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00024
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00024