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Social Problems as a Mediator of the Link Between Reactive Aggression and Withdrawn/Depressed Symptoms

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Abstract

The current study examined whether social problems accounted for the relation between reactive aggression and withdrawn/depressed symptoms in a sample of 147 children (54.4% male) ranging from 5 to 13 years of age (M = 8.22 years) who attended a community based after-school program. Findings suggested that indeed social problems mediated the link between reactive aggression and withdrawn/depressed symptoms, such that high levels of reactive aggression are associated with high levels of social problems, which in turn are associated with high levels of withdrawn/depressed symptoms. Findings suggest the need to target peer relationships in the prevention of subsequent negative emotions for children who exhibit high levels of reactive aggression.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Austin Peay Building, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Paula J. Fite & Jamie L. Rathert

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Laura Stoppelbein & Leilani Greening

Authors
  1. Paula J. Fite
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  2. Jamie L. Rathert
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  3. Laura Stoppelbein
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  4. Leilani Greening
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Correspondence to Paula J. Fite.

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Fite, P.J., Rathert, J.L., Stoppelbein, L. et al. Social Problems as a Mediator of the Link Between Reactive Aggression and Withdrawn/Depressed Symptoms. J Child Fam Stud 21, 184–189 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9461-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9461-4

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