ERIC Number: ED649283
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 32
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Emotion Processing Associated with Aggression in Early Adolescents: A Focus on Affective Theory of Mind
Meghan E. Clifford; Amanda J. Nguyen; Catherine P. Bradshaw
Grantee Submission
Social-emotional factors associated with youth aggression have largely been studied in the context of social information-processing models. The ability to accurately encode and appropriately interpret others' emotions has yet to be fully examined in the context of aggressive behavior, particularly during adolescence. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 282 at-risk early adolescents, the present study examined associations between teacher-reported aggression and youth performance on a task assessing two components of affective theory of mind: emotion recognition and situational attribution. Results indicated that emotion recognition, but not situational attribution accuracy, was significantly associated with teacher-reported aggressive behavior. Over-recognizing anger and under-recognizing sadness were unique error patterns associated with aggression, and these associations remained significant after controlling for demographics and other key social information-processing variables. Findings suggest that difficulties with emotion processing play an important role in the social information-processing patterns observed in the context of youth aggression. Implications for preventive interventions for youth at risk of engaging in aggressive behavior are discussed. [This paper was was published in "Aggressive Behavior" v47 n2 p173-182 2021.]
Descriptors: Self Control, Aggression, Theory of Mind, Social Cognition, Interpersonal Competence, Case Studies, At Risk Persons, Early Adolescents, Psychological Patterns, Teacher Attitudes, Correlation, Intervention, Task Analysis, Emotional Intelligence, Middle School Students, Child Behavior, Rating Scales, Cognitive Processes, Error Patterns, Attribution Theory
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Maryland
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Behavior Assessment System for Children
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A140070; R305A190116