Prediction of elementary school children's socially appropriate and problem behavior from anger reactions at age 4–6 years

Abstract

Four- to 6-year-olds' anger reactions were observed in preschool/kindergarten and their social functioning was assessed at ages 4–6, 6–8, and 8–10 years. Teachers reported on socially appropriate and social/prosocial behavior, and parents reported on children's problem behaviors. Early anger reactions (especially the use of verbal objections, physical retaliation, and escape behavior) predicted social functioning years later; findings were strongest for teachers' reports of socially appropriate behavior and parents' reports of problem behavior. For aspects of social functioning other than teacher-reported socially appropriate behavior (prosocial/social behavior and low aggression and disruptive behavior), these relations were not due solely to the effects of social skills at age 4–6 on both anger reactions and quality of social functioning in elementary school. Findings were consistent with the possibility that level of social skills at age 4–6 partially mediated the effects of anger reactions on subsequent teacher-reported socially appropriate behavior.