Skip to main content

The Association Between Forms of Aggression, Leadership, and Social Status Among Urban Youth

Journal of Youth and Adolescence volume 42, pages 263–274 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

While much prior research has documented the negative associations between aggression, peer relationships, and social skills, other research has begun to examine whether forms of aggression also may be associated with prosocial skills and increased social status. However, few studies have examined these associations within diverse samples of elementary aged youth. The current study examined the associations between aggression, popularity, social preference, and leadership among 227 urban, ethnic minority (74 % African American, 9 % bi-racial including African American, 12 % other ethnic minorities, and 5 % European American) elementary school youth (average age 9.5 years, 48.5 % female). Results indicated that in an urban, high risk environment, displaying aggressive behaviors was associated with increased perceived popularity, decreased social preference, and, in some cases, increased perceived leadership. The results also suggested gender differences in the association between the forms of aggression (i.e. relational and overt) and popularity. The current study underscores the importance of examining youth leadership along with forms of aggression and social status among urban minority youth. Implications for future research and aggression prevention programming are highlighted.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Notes

  1. An a priori model was run in order to examine the interactive effects of aggression by popularity and aggression by social preference. These interaction terms were significantly associated with leadership, with the exception of the interaction between relational aggression and popularity. Results indicated that youth who are relationally aggressive were more likely to be rated as popular and as leaders as compared to low relationally aggressive youth. For low relationally aggressive youth, being popular was associated with increasing nominations of leadership F(7, 226) = 136.08, p < .05; ΔR 2 = .01, p < .05.

References

  • Archer, J., & Coyne, S. M. (2005). An integrated review of indirect, relational, and social aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9(3), 212–230. doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0903.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1973). Aggression: A social learning analysis. Englewood Clifts, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Black, M. M., & Krishnakumar, A. (1998). Children in low-income, urban settings: Interventions to promote mental health and well-being. American Psychologist, 53(6), 635–646. doi:10.1037/0003-066x.53.6.635.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brechwald, W. A., & Prinstein, M. J. (2011). Beyond homophily: A decade of advances in understanding peer influence processes. Journal of Research on Adolescence (Blackwell Publishing Limited), 21(1), 166–179. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00721.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Card, N. A., Stucky, B. D., Sawalani, G. M., & Little, T. D. (2008). Direct and indirect aggression during childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic review of gender differences, intercorrelations, and relations to maladjustment. Child Development, 79(5), 1185–1229. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01184.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cillessen, A. H. N., & Borch, C. (2006). Developmental trajectories of adolescent popularity: A growth curve modelling analysis. Journal of Adolescence, 29(6), 935–959. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2006.05.005.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cillessen, A. H. N., & Mayeux, L. (2004). From censure to reinforcement: Developmental changes in the association between aggression and social status. Child Development, 75(1), 147–163. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00660.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cillessen, A. H. N., & Rose, A. J. (2005). Understanding popularity in the peer system. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(2), 102–105. doi:10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00343.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., & Dodge, K. A. (1988). Multiple sources of data on social behavior and social status in the school: A cross-age comparison. Child Development, 59(3), 815–829.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., & Coppotelli, H. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: A cross-age perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18(4), 557–570. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.18.4.557.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., & Coppotelli, H. (1983). Dimensions and Types of social status: a cross-age perspective: Correction. Developmental Psychology, 19(2). doi:10.1037/0012-1649.19.2.224.

  • Crick, N. R. (1996). The role of overt aggression, relational aggression, and prosocial behavior in the prediction of children’s future social adjustment. Child Development, 67(5), 2317–2327. doi:10.2307/1131625.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R. (1997). Engagement in gender normative versus nonnormative forms of aggression: Links to social-psychological adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 33(4), 610–617.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66(3), 710–722.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, W. E., & Zarbatany, L. (2007). Peer group status as a moderator of group influence on children’s deviant, aggressive, and prosocial behavior. Child Development, 78(4), 1240–1254.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer, T. W., Estell, D. B., Bishop, J. L., O’Neal, K. K., & Cairns, B. D. (2003). Rejected bullies or popular leaders? The social relations of aggressive subtypes of rural African American early adolescents [Article]. Developmental Psychology, 39(6), 992–1004. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.39.6.992.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer, T. W., & Xie, H. (2007). Aggression and school social dynamics: The good, the bad, and the ordinary. Journal of School Psychology, 45(5), 461–478. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2007.06.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, A. D., Erwin, E. H., Allison, K. W., Meyer, A., Sullivan, T., Camou, S., et al. (2007). Problematic situations in the lives of urban African American middle school students: A qualitative study. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 17(2), 413–454. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2007.00528.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fontaine, N., Carbonneau, R., Vitaro, F., Barker, E. D., & Tremblay, R. E. (2009). Research review: A critical review of studies on the developmental trajectories of antisocial behavior in females. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50(4), 363–385. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01949.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garandeau, C. F., Wilson, T., & Rodkin, P. C. (2010). The popularity of elementary school bullies in gender and racial context. In S. R. Jimerson, S. M. Swearer, & D. L. Espelage (Eds.), Handbook of bullying in schools: An international perspective (pp. 119–136). New York, NY, USA: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerra, N. G., Rowell Huesmann, L., & Spindler, A. (2003). Community violence exposure, social cognition, and aggression among urban elementary school children [Article]. Child Development, 74(5), 1561–1576. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00623.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hawley, P. H. (1999). The ontogenesis of social dominance: A strategy-based evolutionary perspective. Developmental Review, 19(1), 97–132. doi:10.1006/drev.1998.0470.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoff, K. E., Reese-Weber, M., Schneider, W. J., & Stagg, J. W. (2009). The association between high status positions and aggressive behavior in early adolescence. Journal of School Psychology, 47(6), 395–426. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2009.07.003.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudley, C. A. (1993). Comparing teacher and peer perceptions of aggression: An ecological approach. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(2), 377–384. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.85.2.377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiefer, S. M., & Ryan, A. M. (2008). Striving for social dominance over peers: The implications for academic adjustment during early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(2), 417–428. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.100.2.417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kline, R. B. (1998). Principles and practices of structural equation modeling. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kupersmidt, J. B., Coie, J. D., & Dodge, K. A. (1990). The role of poor peer relationships in the development of disorder. In S. R. Asher & J. D. Coie (Eds.), Peer rejection in childhood (pp. 274–305). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W. (2005). Children's peer relations and social competence: A century of progress. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaFontana, K. M., & Cillessen, A. H. N. (2002). Children’s perceptions of popular and unpopular peers: A multimethod assessment. Developmental Psychology, 38(5), 635–647. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.38.5.635.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S. (2007). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Considerations and future directions. School Psychology Review, 36(3), 406–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S., Angelucci, J., Goldstein, A. B., Cardaciotto, L., Paskewich, B., & Grossman, M. B. (2007). Using a participatory action research model to create a school-based intervention program for relationally aggressive girls—The Friend to Friend Program. In J. E. Zins, M. J. Elias, & C. A. Maher (Eds.), Bullying, victimization, and peer harassment: A handbook of prevention and intervention (pp. 199–218). New York, NY: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S., Freedman, M. A., MacEvoy, J. P., & Power, T. J. (2011). Considerations when measuring outcomes to assess for the effectiveness of bullying- and aggression-prevention programs in the schools. In D. L. Espelage & S. S. Swearer (Eds.), Bullying in North American Schools (2nd ed., pp. 205–223). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S., Gullan, R. L., Paskewich, B. S., Abdul-Kabir, S., Jawad, A. F., Grossman, M., et al. (2009). An initial evaluation of a culturally adapted social problem-solving and relational aggression prevention program for urban African-American relationally aggressive girls. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 37(4), 260–274. doi:10.1080/10852350903196274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S., Waasdorp, T. E., & Crick, N. R. (2010a). A review of existing relational aggression programs: Strengths, limitations, and future directions. School Psychology Review, 39(4), 508–535.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leff, S. S., Waasdorp, T. E., Paskewich, B., Gullan, R. L., Jawad, A. F., MacEvoy, J. P., et al. (2010b). The preventing relational aggression in schools everyday program: A preliminary evaluation of acceptability and impact. School Psychology Review, 39(4), 569–587.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., & McMahon, T. J. (1996). Peer reputation among inner-city adolescents: structure and correlates [Article]. Journal of Research on Adolescence (Lawrence Erlbaum), 6(4), 581–603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martino, S. C., Ellickson, P. L., Klein, D. J., McCaffrey, D., & Edelen, M. O. (2008). Multiple trajectories of physical aggression among adolescent boys and girls. Aggressive Behavior, 34(1), 61–75. doi:10.1002/ab.20215.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayeux, L., Sandstrom, M. J., & Cillessen, A. H. N. (2008). Is being popular a risky proposition? Journal of Research on Adolescence, 18(1), 49–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morales, J. R., & Guerra, N. G. (2006). Effects of multiple context and cumulative stress on urban children’s adjustment in elementary school. Child Development, 77(4), 907–923. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00910.x.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neal, J. W. (2010). Social aggression and social position in middle childhood and early adolescence: Burning bridges or building them? The Journal of Early Adolescence, 30(1), 122–137. doi:10.1177/0272431609350924.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newcomb, A. F., Bukowski, W. M., & Pattee, L. (1993). Children’s peer relations: A meta-analytic review of popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, and average sociometric status. Psychological Bulletin, 113(1), 99–128. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.113.1.99.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1991). Bully/victim problems among school children: Basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. In K. H. Rubin & D. Pepler (Eds.), Development and treatment of childhood aggression (pp. 411–448). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkhurst, J. T., & Hopmeyer, A. (1998). Sociometric popularity and peer-perceived popularity: Two. Journal of Early Adolescence, 18(2), 125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D., & Long, J. D. (2002). A longitudinal study of bullying, dominance, and victimization during the transition from primary school through secondary school. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 20(2), 259–280. doi:10.1348/026151002166442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puckett, M. B., Aikins, J. W., & Cillessen, A. H. N. (2008). Moderators of the association between relational aggression and perceived popularity [Article]. Aggressive Behavior, 34(6), 563–576. doi:10.1002/ab.20280.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putallaz, M., Grimes, C. L., Foster, K. J., Kupersmidt, J. B., Coie, J. D., & Dearing, K. (2007). Overt and relational aggression and victimization: Multiple perspectives within the school setting. Journal of School Psychology, 45(5), 523–547. doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2007.05.003.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, D. L., Farmer, T. W., Fraser, M. W., Day, S. H., Duncan, T., Crowther, A., et al. (2010). Interpersonal competence configurations and peer relations in early elementary classrooms: Perceived popular and unpopular aggressive subtypes. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34(1), 73–87. doi:10.1177/0165025409345074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodkin, P. C., Farmer, T. W., Pearl, R., & Van Acker, R. (2000). Heterogeneity of popular boys: Antisocial and prosocial configurations. Developmental Psychology, 36(1), 14–24. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.36.1.14.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, D., Gorman, A. H., Duong, M. T., & Nakamoto, J. (2008). Peer relationships and academic achievement as interacting predictors of depressive symptoms during middle childhood. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 117(2), 289–299. doi:10.1037/0021-843x.117.2.289.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, D. (2009). Leadership, education, achievement, and development: A nursing intervention for prevention of youthful offending behavior. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 14(6), 429–441. doi:10.1177/1078390308327049.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talbott, E., Celinska, D., Simpson, J., & Coe, M. G. (2002). ‘Somebody else making somebody else fight’: Aggression and the social context among urban adolescent girls. Exceptionality, 10(3), 203–220. doi:10.1207/s15327035ex1003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teasley, M. L., Tyson, E., & House, L. (2007). Understanding leadership development in African American youth. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 15(2/3), 79–98. doi:10.1300/J137v15n02_06.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terry, R. (2000). Recent advances in measurement theory and the use of sociometric techniques. In A. H. N. Cillessen & W. M. Bukowski (Eds.), Recent advances in the measurement of acceptance and rejection in the peer system (pp. 27–53). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Terry, R., & Coie, J. D. (1991). A comparison of methods for defining sociometric status among children. Developmental Psychology, 27(5), 867–880. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.27.5.867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Troop-Gordon, W., Visconti, K. J., & Kuntz, K. J. (2011). Perceived popularity during early adolescence: Links to declining school adjustment among aggressive youth. Journal of Early Adolescence, 31(1), 125–151. doi:10.1177/0272431610384488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2006). Aggression and social status: The moderating roles of sex and peer-valued characteristics. Aggressive Behavior, 32(4), 396–408. doi:10.1002/ab.20138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vaillancourt, T., Hymel, S., & McDougall, P. (2007). Bullying is power: Implications for school-based intervention strategies. In J. E. Zins, M. J. Elias, & C. A. Maher (Eds.), Bullying, victimization, and peer harassment: A handbook of prevention and intervention (pp. 317–337). New York, NY, USA: Haworth Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • van de Schoot, R., van der Velden, F., Boom, J., & Brugman, D. (2010). Can at-risk young adolescents be popular and anti-social? Sociometric status groups, anti-social behaviour, gender and ethnic background. Journal of Adolescence, 33(5), 583–592. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.12.004.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waasdorp, T. E., Bagdi, A., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2010). Peer victimization among urban, predominantly African American youth: Coping with relational aggression between friends. Journal of School Violence, 9(1), 98–116. doi:10.1080/15388220903341372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waasdorp, T. E., Pas, E. T., O’Brennan, L. M., & Bradshaw, C. P. (2011). A multilevel perspective on the climate of bullying: Discrepancies among students, school staff, and parents. Journal of School Violence, 10(2), 115–132. doi:10.1080/15388220.2010.539164.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walcott, C. M., Upton, A., Bolen, L. M., & Brown, M. B. (2008). Associations between peer-perceived status and aggression in young adolescents. Psychology in the Schools, 45(6), 550–561. doi:10.1002/pits.20323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, T., Karimpour, R., & Rodkin, P. C. (2011). African American and European American students’ peer groups during Early adolescence: Structure, status, and academic achievement. Journal of Early Adolescence, 31(1), 74–98. doi:10.1177/0272431610387143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie, H., Farmer, T. W., & Cairns, B. D. (2003). Different forms of aggression among inner-city African-American children: Gender, configurations and school social networks. Journal of School Psychology, 41(5), 355–375. doi:10.1016/s0022-4405(03)00086-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie, H., Yan, L., Boucher, S. M., Hutchins, B. C., & Cairns, B. D. (2006). What makes a girl (or a boy) popular (or unpopular)? African American children’s perceptions and developmental differences. Developmental Psychology, 42(4), 599–612. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.4.599.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by two NIMH grants to the anchor author, R34MH072982 and R01MH075787, and by cooperative agreement number 5 U49 CE001093 from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This research was made possible, in part, by the School District of Philadelphia. Opinions contained in this report reflect those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the School District of Philadelphia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Psychology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Tracy Evian Waasdorp, Brooke S. Paskewich & Stephen S. Leff

  2. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Stephen S. Leff

  3. The Philadelphia Collaborative Violence Prevention Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Stephen S. Leff

  4. Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA

    Courtney N. Baker

Authors
  1. Tracy Evian Waasdorp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Courtney N. Baker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Brooke S. Paskewich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stephen S. Leff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tracy Evian Waasdorp.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waasdorp, T.E., Baker, C.N., Paskewich, B.S. et al. The Association Between Forms of Aggression, Leadership, and Social Status Among Urban Youth. J Youth Adolescence 42, 263–274 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9837-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9837-9

Keywords

  • Relational aggression
  • Popularity
  • Social preference
  • Leadership
  • Social status
  • Gender