Nonlinear Effects of Childhood Aggression on Social Functioning in Early Adulthood

• In Event: Relational Aggression, Social-emotional Adjustment, and Relationship Domains: Investigating Different Contexts and Approaches

Abstract

It is well-established that aggressive behavior can have a detrimental impact on social functioning. The effects of overt aggression appear to be universally negative (e.g., Card et al., 2008; Cooley et al., 2017). However, extant findings for relational aggression are less straightforward. Relational aggression is associated with social anxiety, loneliness, peer victimization, peer rejection, and negative friendship quality, yet it has also been linked to popularity and positive friendship quality (Banny et al., 2011; Casper et al., 2020; Soenens et al., 2008; Storch et al., 2004). The degree to which individuals engage in this behavior may impact the strength of its effects; in other words, nonlinear associations may exist, but this is not yet clear. Moreover, relatively little is known regarding the long-term impact of childhood aggression on social functioning in early adulthood. The goal of the current study was to fill these gaps in the literature.

The sample comprised 238 girls (M age = 9.77 years; 50% Black, 50% White). Participants were recruited from 13 public schools in a mid-sized Southeastern city in the United States. Overt and relational aggression were assessed using both teacher- and peer-reports during the fourth grade. Approximately 15 years later, 124 participants (M age = 24.6 years) provided self-reports of their social functioning. A series of path analysis models were estimated within Mplus using maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors to examine linear and nonlinear effects of childhood aggression on social functioning in early adulthood. A separate series of models were estimated for teacher- and peer-reports. Each model adjusted for the co-occurrence of the alternate form of aggressive behavior, but quadratic effects of overt and relational aggression were tested independently after examining linear effects.

As shown in Figure 1, results indicated that there were quadratic effects of teacher-reported relational aggression on participants’ social support (significant negative association at values > 0.53 SD), inclusionary status (significant negative association at values > 0.29 SD), and loneliness (significant positive association at values > 0.16 SD; significant negative association at values < –1.59 SD). As shown in Figure 2, there was also a quadratic effect of peer-reported relational aggression on participants’ social anxiety (significant positive association at values > 1.68 SD; significant negative association at values < 0.14 SD). Further, there was a quadratic effect of peer-reported overt aggression on close friendship quality (significant negative association at values < –1.08 SD).

Interestingly, all of the observed effects of childhood aggression on social functioning in early adulthood were nonlinear. These findings revealed that only girls exhibiting higher levels of relational aggression were at increased risk for greater social anxiety, poorer perceived social support, decreased feelings of social inclusion, and increased feelings of loneliness. In fact, the use of relational aggression at lower levels was associated with better social adjustment with regard to social anxiety and loneliness. Girls exhibiting higher levels of overt aggression were also more likely to report negative friendship quality in adulthood, although a floor effect emerged at higher levels of this behavior.

Authors

• John L Cooley, Texas Tech University
  Presenting Author

• Brianna Turney Ricker, Texas Tech University

• Carlos Roryver Sanchez, Texas Tech University

• Martha Putallaz, Duke University

• Christina L Grimes, Duke Univeristy