| Relational aggression is a form of aggression that has been identified more with girls than boys, while research has shown that physical aggression is exhibited predominantly in boys. Compared to physical aggression, very little is known about correlates and precursors of relational aggression. For example, researchers have established a strong correlation between physical aggression and language deficits. However, research is limited about the association between relational aggression and language skills.;The purpose of this study was two-fold: To replicate previous research about the distinction between relational and physical aggression among preschoolers and about the prevalence of relational aggression among preschool girls compared to preschool boys, and to describe the association between gender, language skills, and relational and physical forms of aggression.;One-hundred children 3- to 5-years of age participated in this study. Their language skills were assessed with 3 standardized instruments, and teachers rated each child's relational/physical aggression and each child's internalizing/externalizing behaviors.;Results replicated past studies for the distinction between relational and physical aggression. However, results of this study indicated that preschool boys and girls were equally relationally aggressive. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results were similar for relational and physical aggression: Relational and physical aggression increase as language scores increase, although the effect is weaker for girls. This association was significant between relational aggression with all receptive and expressive vocabulary and language scores. The association was also significant between physical aggression and receptive and expressive vocabulary scores and receptive language scores, although it was not significant between physical aggression and expressive language scores. |
