Relations between Theory of Mind and Indirect and Physical Aggression in Kindergarten: Evidence of the Moderating Role of Prosocial Behaviors |
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| Authors: | Annie Renouf Mara Brendgen Sophie Parent Frank Vitaro Philip David Zelazo Michel Boivin Ginette Dionne Richard E Tremblay Daniel Pérusse Jean R Séguin |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal;2. Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal and Ste. Justine Hospital Research Center;3. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal;4. School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal and Ste. Justine Hospital Research Center;5. Institute for Child Development, University of Minnesota;6. Department of Psychology, Laval University;7. Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics and International Laboratory for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, University of Montreal and INSERM U669, France, and School of Public Health and Population Science, University College Dublin and Ste. Justine Hospital Research Center;8. Department of Anthropology, University of Montreal and Ste. Justine Hospital Research Center;9. Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal and Ste. Justine Hospital Research Center |
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| Abstract: | The present study examined the association between theory of mind and indirect versus physical aggression, as well as the potential moderating role of prosocial behavior in this context. Participants were 399 twins and singletons drawn from two longitudinal studies in Canada. At five years of age, children completed a theory of mind task and a receptive vocabulary task. A year later, teachers evaluated children's indirect and physical aggression and prosocial behavior. Indirect aggression was significantly and positively associated with theory of mind skills, but only in children with average or low levels of prosocial behavior. Physical aggression was negatively associated with prosocial behavior but not with theory of mind. Each analysis included gender, receptive vocabulary, and the respective other subtype of aggression as control variables. These results did not differ between girls and boys or between twins and singletons. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | theory of mind indirect aggression physical aggression prosocial behavior
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