Abstract
In the United States, a distinction between proactive (deliberate aggressive behavior aimed at influencing others) and reactive (defensive response to provocation) aggression has been documented. Further, investigators have discovered an association between cognitive, social, and emotional variables and these two types of aggression. This study investigated this relationship with 251 (males = 170; females = 81) proactive and reactive aggressive Hong Kong secondary students (M age = 13.07; SD = 1.38). Canonical analyses revealed proactive aggression was negatively related to transposing oneself into feelings and actions of fictional characters, feeling warmth and concern for others, and feeling discomfort in reaction to others’ emotions. Reactive aggression, in contrast, was positively associated with experiencing and expressing anger without specific provocation, expressing anger when provoked, suppressing anger, expressing anger towards others or objects, and feeling anxiety-depression. Implications to address the aggression of students in Hong Kong and elsewhere are discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 821-831 |
| Journal | Journal of Child and Family Studies |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Online published | 15 Dec 2013 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2015 |
Bibliographical note
Full text of this publication does not contain sufficient affiliation information. With consent from the author(s) concerned, the Research Unit(s) information for this record is based on the existing academic department affiliation of the author(s).Research Keywords
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Empathy
- Hong Kong