Aggression in the Context of Mutual Best Friendships Todd D. Little Yale University (Now at University of Kansas) Lothar Krappmann Max Planck Institute for Human Development

Overview and Goal The peer aggression literature has focused very little attention on peer-directed aggression in the context of mutual best friends We address the basic question: What, if any, are the associations between peer- directed aggression and friendship quality?

Method Participants 1,723 5 th to 10 th graders 1846 Reciprocated Best-Friend Nominations 1358 "Old" Friends (> 1 Year) 488 New Friends (< 1 Year) Friendship Interview Name your three very best friends Friendship Quality is Rated Do you argue with this friend? Do you share secrets with this friend? Peer-Directed Aggression is Rated Does this friend hit or push others? Does this friend spread rumors and gossip about others? Self-Reported Aggression and Well-being

Aggression Constructs Overt (Dispositional ) Relational ( Dispositional ) Overt: Instrumenta l Overt: Reactive Relational: Instrumenta l Relational: Reactive Instru- mental Reactive Note. All constructs are measured by multiple indicators except for the higher-order constructs of Instrumental and Reactive aggression. From Little, Jones et al., 2002

Sample Items Overt Aggression: Dispositional (6 items) I’m the kind of person who hits, kicks, or pushes others Overt Aggression: Instrumental (6 items) I hit, kick, or push others to get what I want Overt Aggression: Reactive (6 items) I hit, kick, or push others when I have been hurt by them Relational Aggression: Dispositional (6 items) I’m the kind of person who spreads rumors and gossips about others Relational Aggression: Instrumental (6 items) To get what I want, I spread rumors and gossip about others Relational Aggression: Reactive (6 items) When I have been hurt by someone, I spread rumors or gossip about him/her.

Partial Correlations: Aggression / Friendship Quality Close- Con- ness flict New FriendsOld Friends Partial Correlations: controlling for self-reported overt, relational, instrumental, and reactive aggression. -- indicates non-significance. Close- Con- ness flict

Partial Correlations: Aggression / Well Being Conn- Lonli- ected ness New FriendsOld Friends Partial Correlations: controlling for self-reported overt, relational, instrumental, and reactive aggression. -- indicates non-significance. Conn- Lonli ected ness

Discussion Peer-directed aggression is consistently associated with friendship quality: Closeness undermined and Conflict exaserbated In established friendships, peer-directed relational aggression appears to enhance friendship closeness