Nonaggressive Subgroups Research Articles

Perceptions of School Climate Among Subgroups of Aggressive and Victimized Youth

The present study examined how perceptions of school climate differ across subgroups of early adolescents with distinct patterns of involvement in aggression and victimization. We identified subgroups among 800 sixth-grade students (87% African American, 51% female) based on latent class analysis of items assessing aggression and victimization. Consistent with previous research, we found support for a four-class solution that identified the following subgroups: aggressive-victims (8%), predominant-victims (12%), predominant-aggressors (28%), and youth with limited involvement (52%). Predominant-aggressors and aggressive-victims reported lower levels of teacher support and consistency and clarity of school rules than nonaggressive subgroups. Among male adolescents, aggressive-victims reported more positive perceptions of peer interactions than predominant-aggressors. Findings provide evidence that perceptions of school climate are related to early adolescents’ pattern of involvement in aggression and victimization, which has implications for school-based interventions targeting aggressive behavior.

Maxillofacial and Axial/Appendicular Giant Cell Lesions: Unique Tumors or Variants of the Same Disease?—A Comparison of Phenotypic, Clinical, and Radiographic Characteristics

The relationship between giant cell lesions (GCLs) of the maxillofacial (MF) skeleton and those of the axial/appendicular (AA) skeleton has been long debated. The present study compared the clinical and radiographic characteristics of subjects with MF and AA GCLs. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients treated for GCLs at Massachusetts General Hospital from 1993 to 2008. The predictor variables included tumor location (MF or AA) and clinical behavior (aggressive or nonaggressive). The outcome variables included demographic, clinical, and radiographic parameters, treatments, and outcomes. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed, and P <or= .05 was considered significant. The sample included 93 subjects: 45 with MF (38 with aggressive and 7 with nonaggressive) and 48 with AA (30 with aggressive and 18 with nonaggressive). Comparing the patients with MF and AA GCLs, those with MF lesions presented younger (P < .001), and the lesions were more commonly asymptomatic (P < .001), smaller (P < .001), and managed differently (P < .001) than AA lesions. When stratified by clinical behavior, aggressive tumors were diagnosed earlier than nonaggressive tumors (P < .001). Controlling for location and clinical behavior, patients with MF aggressive lesions were younger (P < .001) than those with AA aggressive lesions. MF nonaggressive lesions were more commonly asymptomatic (P = .04), smaller (P = .05), and less commonly locally destructive (P = .05) than AA nonaggressive lesions. These results suggest that MF and AA GCLs represent a similar, if not the same, disease. Comparing the aggressive and nonaggressive subgroups, more similarities were found than when evaluating without stratification by clinical behavior. The remaining differences could be explained by the likelihood that MF tumors are diagnosed earlier than AA tumors because of facial exposure and dental screening examinations and radiographs.

The Correspondence Between the Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised and Two Other Indicators for Aggressive Incidents

Previous research has shown good psychometric properties of the Staff Observation Aggression Scale-Revised (SOAS-R). However, it has never been investigated what proportion of aggressive incidents occurring in facilities is documented with the SOAS-R. Furthermore, if incidents are underreported, the consequences for the categorization of clients into aggressive and nonaggressive subgroups based on the SOAS-R are unknown. To examine this, in four inpatient psychiatric facilities for adults with mild intellectual disabilities, aggressive incidents were documented with the SOAS-R and two other indicators of aggressive incidents: the daily staff reports on clients' behavior and reports on of the use of restraints. Less than half of the incidents documented with the staff and restraint reports were also documented with the SOAS-R. On the other way around, however, it was also found that a substantial proportion of incidents reported on SOAS-R forms were not documented in the daily staff reports, which points to a more general problem of underreporting aggressive behavior. Apart from that, categorization of clients into an aggressive and a nonaggressive subgroup with SOAS-R data collected during 1 month or longer corresponded largely with the categorization based on both other indicators. This study showed that underreporting of aggressive incidents is likely to occur with the SOAS-R, making the instrument less suitable to assess absolute aggression incidence in facilities. Still, the SOAS-R seems a good instrument to categorize clients into aggressive and nonaggressive subgroups. Ways to improve the compliance of the ward team to document all aggressive incidents are addressed in the Discussion section of this article.

Lack of seasonal rhythms in central serotonergic function in boys with ADHD.

This study examined seasonal variations in central 5-HT function in a relatively large sample of prepubertal boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, seasonal differences in central 5-HT function among aggressive and non-aggressive children in the sample were explored. Ninety-three boys with ADHD were divided into aggressive (n=54) and nonaggressive (n=39) groups based on parental responses to interviews and ratings of behavior. Central 5-HT function was assessed by measuring the prolactin response to a single 1 mg/kg oral dose of d,l-fenfluramine. The prolactin values were derived from different children over the course of eight years, but were collapsed across years and analyzed in terms of day of the year. Cosinor analysis revealed no annual, bi-annual, 3-monthly, 2-monthly, monthly, or bi-monthly rhythms in the prolactin response in the entire sample of boys with ADHD. Moreover, there was no evidence of seasonal differences in the prolactin response between the aggressive and non-aggressive subgroups. These results indicate that seasonality-related variance is not a threat to the validity of the neurochemical procedure and does not account for the inconsistencies in the studies of central 5-HT and aggression in children with ADHD.

Serotonergic function in aggressive and nonaggressive boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

This study was designed to assess central serotonergic (5-HT) function in aggressive and nonaggressive boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Prolactin response to a challenge dose of the 5-HT agonist d,l-fenfluramine was assessed in 25 7-11-year-old boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who were divided into aggressive and nonaggressive subgroups. In addition, the subgroups were compared on plasma catecholamine metabolites and platelet 5-HT. The aggressive group had a significantly greater prolactin response to the fenfluramine challenge than the nonaggressive subgroup. The groups did not differ on peripheral measures of neurotransmitter function. These data suggest that aggressive and nonaggressive children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder differ in central 5-HT functioning.

Stimulant Medication and the Treatment of Aggression in Children With Attentional Deficits

Reviews evidence regarding the efficacy of stimulant medications in treating aggression and antisocial behavior in externalizing youngsters, particularly those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Despite claims that stimulant medication is not efficacious with respect to aggression, recent investigations with behavioral observation methodologies in large-group settings have revealed clinically significant reductions of aggressive behavior with stimulant treatment. Furthermore, among youngsters with attentional problems, both aggressive and nonaggressive subgroups show a positive response to such medication. Discussion focuses on the need for multimodality interventions with externalizing children.

Inheritance and inter-relationship of fitness characters in progeny of an aggressive × non-aggressive cross of Ophiostoma ulmi

The inheritance patterns and inter-relationships of nine potential fitness characters were studied in 30 F 1 progeny of a cross between the evolutionarily divergent aggressive (NAN) and non-aggressive subgroups of Ophiostoina ulmi . Continuous inheritance was demonstrated for elm bark colonizing ability and for in vitro ceratoulmin wilt toxin production, and confirmed for linear growth rate at 20 °C and for vascular wilt ability on elm. Inheritance of mycelial density on elm sapwood discs was skewed towards the NAN parental type whereas that for synnemetal and protoperithecial production was skewed towards the non-aggressive type. Growth-temperature response and fertility of the progeny as sexual donors (♂) on a NAN recipient (♀) both followed a bimodal inheritance pattern coinciding with the parental types, the NAN-like type being predominant in each case. As recipients (♀) the majority of the progeny were sexually sterile, a proportion showed a NAN-like response in strongly rejecting the non-aggressive as donor, and one showed a unique response in being more fertile with the non-aggressive donor than with the NAN. Only growth-temperature response and vascular wilt ability were correlated in the F 1 s, where progeny with a non-aggressive type temperature response were shown to be less pathogenic than those with a NAN-type response. The results further explain the lack of aggressive x non-aggressive hybrids in nature. Many of the progeny exhibited poor performance in potential fitness characters such as vascular wilt ability and bark colonizing ability, or were sexually sterile. Progeny showing a good performance in some characters were detected, but since the characters were inherited mainly at random, the chance of a hybrid genotype being sufficiently fitted overall to compete with the aggressive subgroup must be low. Nevertheless, there may be some potential in experimentally pursuing the breeding of a hybrid form of O. ulmi which could compete with the aggressive subgroup in nature.