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Aggressive Behavior in School-aged Children: Clusters based on Anger, Empathy and Testosterone and Cortisol Measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2019

Eider Pascual-Sagastizabal ,
José Ramón Sánchez-Martín ,
Oscar Vegas ,
José Manuel Muñoz ,
Paloma Braza ,
María Rosario Carreras ,
Nora del Puerto-Golzarri  and
Aitziber Azurmendi
Eider Pascual-Sagastizabal*
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
José Ramón Sánchez-Martín
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Oscar Vegas
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
José Manuel Muñoz
Affiliation:
Universidad de Cádiz (Spain)
Paloma Braza
Affiliation:
Universidad de Cádiz (Spain)
María Rosario Carreras
Affiliation:
Universidad de Cádiz (Spain)
Nora del Puerto-Golzarri
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Aitziber Azurmendi
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Eider Pascual Sagastizabal. Universidad del País Vasco. Departamento de Procesos Psicológicos Básicos y su Desarrollo. 20018 San Sebastián (Spain). E-mail: eider.pascual@ehu.es
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Abstract

The aim of this piece of research was to study the existence of clusters based on anger, empathy and cortisol and testosterone measures associated with aggressive behavior in school-aged children. The sample group comprised 139 eight-year-old children (80 boys and 59 girls). Aggressive behavior was measured using the Direct and Indirect Aggression Scale. Both psychological and biological variables were used to determine psychobiological profiles. The psychological variables considered were trait anger, measured using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory for Children and Adolescents, and empathy, measured using the Empathy Quotient-Child Version. Testosterone and cortisol concentrations were measured through saliva samples and analyzed using an ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). A Cluster Analysis revealed three clusters which were clearly different as regards their psychological and biological characteristics. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the cluster characterized by having higher anger levels, lower empathy levels and higher testosterone and cortisol levels was more aggressive than the other two (p < .0001, η2 = .19). The results indicate that studying psychological and biological variables together may help establish differentiated aggression patterns among children.

Keywords

angeraggressive behaviorcortisolempathytestosterone
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 22 , 2019 , E42
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2019 

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Footnotes

This study was supported by a grant provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SEJ2007-62897) and funding provided by the Gobierno Vasco (GIC07/19-IT-238-97). We would like to express our gratitude to the teaching staff, parents and children of the participating schools.

How to cite this article:

Pascual-Sagastizabal, E., Sánchez-Martín, J. R., Vegas, O., Muñoz, J. M., Braza, P., Carreras, M. R., … Azurmendi, A. (2019). Aggressive behavior in school-aged children: Clusters based on anger, empathy and testosterone and cortisol measures. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 22. e42. Doi:10.1017/sjp.2019.42

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