The Development of Aggression During Adolescence: A Comparison of Trajectories between Poverty and Non-poverty Groups

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore developmental trajectories of aggression during adolescence and to compare the trajectories between poverty and non-poverty groups. The study data were derived from the Korea Welfare Panel Study. The sample consists of 604 youths observed from their late-elementary school years until the end of their high school years. Growth Mixture Models (GMM) were utilized to explore the heterogeneity in aggression development over three time periods. As a result, three distinct trajectories were identified for the entire sample: chronic moderate, moderate increasing, and low increasing classes. In addition, a difference between poverty and non-poverty groups was found. The majority of adolescents showed a consistently moderate level of aggression over the study period regardless of poverty status. However, some youths from impoverished families who initially had a high level of aggression were found to have an increased level of aggression by the end of their adolescence. These adolescents comprise a potentially high risk group that requires early intervention. The study provided implications for prevention programming for youth with increasing aggression.