Social-cognitive correlates of aggression and victimization in childhood

This study explored the social-cognitive functioning of aggressive and victimized elementary school children. Fourth- through seventh-grade male and female children (mean age 11.8 years) responded to four self-report questionnaires which assessed: (a) hostile attributional bias; (b) outcome expectancies for aggressive behavior; (c) outcome values for aggressive behavior; and (d) self-perceived efficacy for regulating three states of emotional arousal (anger, fear, and euphoria). Aggressive children, compared to nonaggressive children, expected aggression to result in control over their victims, did not expect retaliation from their victims, and did not care whether their victims tried to retaliate or not. Victimized children were more likely to expect retaliation for aggressing.