The Effects of Child Maltreatment From Parents on Reactive Aggression Among Upper-Elementary-School Students and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control

Date

2017

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Korean Journal of Child Studies

Abstract

This study examined the influences of child maltreatment and effortful control on reactive aggression among upper-elementary-school students and investigated whether children’s effortful control had any moderating effects on the relationship between child maltreatment and reactive aggression. The participants of this study consisted of 438 students (225 boys and 213 girls) from four elementary schools located in Seoul, Incheon, and the Gyeonggi Province. The level of reactive aggression was assessed via the Peer Conflict Scale (Marsee, Kimonis, & Frick, 2004). The Child Trauma Questionnaire (Bernstein & Fink, 1998) was used to measure the level of child maltreatment from parents. Effortful control was measured by the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire—Revised (Ellis & Rothbart, 2001). The statistical analyses of data for this study included descriptive statistics and hierarchical regressions. The moderating effect of effortful control was analyzed by using the procedures proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986). The results of this study indicate that the level of child maltreatment increases the level of reactive aggression and that the level of effortful control decreases the level of reactive aggression for boys and girls. In addition, effortful control only moderated the influence of maltreatment on reactive aggression for girls. Higher levels of child maltreatment led to lower levels of child effortful control and (subsequently) higher levels of reactive aggression.

Description

Keywords

reactive aggression, child maltreatment, effortful control, upper elementary school, Korea, International Resources

Citation

Park, H. E., & Park, J. H. (2017). The Effects of Child Maltreatment From Parents on Reactive Aggression Among Upper-Elementary-School Students and the Moderating Role of Effortful Control. Korean J Child Stud, 38(5), 5-17.

DOI