PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE AGGRESSION - AN ANALYSIS OF SUBTYPES BASED ON TEACHER PERCEPTIONS

Examined differences in teachers' perceptions of academic and social behavior in two subtypes of aggression in children identified as proactive and reactive. Subjects were 88 boys, ages 6 to 12 years, referred by teachers to a school-based social skills program for aggressive children. On the basis of median splits on teacher-rated measures of proactive and reactive aggression, children were categorized as: high proactive/high reactive, high proactive/low reactive, low proactive/high reactive, and low proactive/low reactive. As expected, the low proactive/low reactive group was rated as more competent in certain behaviors relative to the high proactive and/or high reactive boys. Mixed-aggressive and low proactive/high reactive children were viewed as highly aggressive and lacking in problem-solving, sharing, and negotiating abilities. Unlike the low proactive/high reactive group, the mixed-aggressive group, although seen as relatively popular and happy, had difficulty keeping out of fights and displayed poor sportsmanship.