Ethnic Differences in Parents' Attitudes Toward Girls' Use of Aggression

• NCJ Number: 231468
• Journal: Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 393-413
• Author(s): Jamilia J. Blake; A. Michele Lease; Stephen P. Olejnik; Terez L. Turner
• Date Published: June 2010
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the role of maternal attitudes towards aggression in explaining the existence of ethnic differences in girls' aggressive behavior.

Abstract

Few studies have attempted to explain ethnic differences in female aggression. The degree to which ethnic differences exist in the influence of parents' approval of aggression on their preadolescent daughters' use of physical, verbal, and relational aggression was explored in a sample of 97 parent-child dyads. Results indicate that European American parents were more disapproving of their daughters' aggressive behavior than were African-American parents. Parents' attitude toward aggression was predictive of European American girls' use of physical and verbal aggression and African-American girls' use of relational aggression. Implications for aggression prevention and intervention for girls are discussed. Tables, figures, and references (Published Abstract)