Original scientific paper

Aggression and peer acceptance in preschool classrooms

Lara Cakić ; Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Učiteljski fakultet u Osijeku, Hrvatska
Tena Velki ; Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Učiteljski fakultet u Osijeku, Hrvatska

Abstract

Aggression is defined as a socially unacceptable behaviour with the aim to harm either people or property (Vasta, Haith and Miller, 1997). Aggression is mostly expressed in preschool years, which is expected due to the fact that this period is characterized by rage attacks and irritable behaviour. This kind of behaviour decreases or disappears in early school years. Preschool girls express aggression through undermining (destroying one’s reputation among other children), excluding from social play, and offending. Boys are more likely to engage in physical (instrumental and hostile) aggression. The most common reason for peer rejection is antisocial behaviour (Ladd, 1999). The study in this paper examines the relationship between aggressive behaviour and peer acceptance in preschool classrooms. The study included 240 children (125 boys and 115 girls) attending several kindergartens in Osijek at the age of five to seven, and their preschool teachers. The Aggression Scale from The Child Behaviour Checklist - Teacher rating scale (TRF - Achenbach, 1991) was used. The scale contains descriptors of behaviour for provocation, physical aggression and attacking. The Sociometric Peer-Rating Scale (Asher, 1979) was used for the assessment of peer acceptance. The results point at a negative correlation between peer acceptance and aggression and at a difference related to sex: negative correlation was detected between peer acceptance and aggression for boys but not for girls.

Keywords

aggression; peer acceptance; preschoolers; peers; boys; girls

Hrčak ID:

131203

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/131203

Publication date:

10.12.2014.

Article data in other languages: croatian german

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