The relationship among aggression, hyperactivity prosocial behavior, and social status in minority school-aged children from low-income neighborhoods

This dissertation investigated the longitudinal relationship among hyperactivity, aggression, prosocial behavior, social rejection, and victimization in a sample of ethnically diverse (35% African-American, 52% Hispanic, 11% Non-Hispanic White) elementary school children residing in low-income neighborhoods in a large midwestern city. The sample was equally distributed between boys and girls. Data was collected for 407 children from grades 1--3, 262 children from grades 4--6, and 82 children from grades 1--3--6. Aggression and hyperactivity generally increased up to 0 grade and decreased by 6th grade. These two behaviors were highly correlated in all grades for both genders (R2 = .80--.93). As a result, a composite measure of both behaviors was compared with the social status variables.;The results revealed that aggression/hyperactivity was positively correlated with rejection and victimization in all grades. However, aggression/hyperactivity was negatively associated with popularity in the 3rd grade for boys and 3rd, 4th, and 6th grades for girls. Prosocial behavior seemed to buffer aggressive/hyperactive older boys (4th--6th) from being victimized two years later Aggression/hypcractivity was negatively associated with popularity once prosocial behavior was controlled for in 3rd, 4 th, and 6th grades for boys. Highly aggressive/hyperactive boys who were very prosocial were just as popular as low aggressive boys in the 4th grade and were the most popular boys in the 6 th grade. Prosocial behavior buffered aggressive/hyperactive girls from being unpopular in the 3rd, 4th, and 6 th grades.;The relationship between aggression/hyperactivity and social status was also examined over time. Earlier aggression/hyperactivity predicted increased victimization over time for younger boys while earlier victimization predicted decreased aggression/hyperactivity for older girls. Hence, older girls learned to reduce victimization by decreasing their aggression/hyperactivity over tune. The relationship between aggression/hyperactivity and prosociality was also examined over time. Rejection and victimization in 1st grade predicted decreased prosocial behavior in third grade and vice versa. Prosocial behavior predicted decreased rejection two years Law for older boys. Earlier victimization predicted decreased prosocial behavior in younger girls while earlier prosocial behavior predicted decreased victimization in older girls. The context, culture, and peer perceptions of aggressive behavior are discussed.