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ABSTRACT
Examined response decision processes of rejected-reactive aggressive, rejected-nonaggressive and average children in terms of the presence or absence of behavioral response alternatives. This study is an extension of the Dodge and Coie (1987) work. In the present study, 116 third- and fourth-grade children were identified as rejected-reactive aggressive, rejected-nonaggressive, or average status on the basis of peer sociometric nominations and the Teacher Checklist of Social Behavior (Dodge & Coie, 1987). Of this sample, 75 children participated in a hypothetical situation task to assess assignment of intent and response decision processes. Congruent with previous research, rejected-reactive aggressive children made significantly more hostile attributions and generated a higher number of aggressive responses than nonaggressive peers. When presented with response alternatives, rejected-reactive aggressive children's selection of aggressive responses for hypothetical behavioral enactment declined significantly and they did not differ significantly from nonaggressive peers in their response decisions. Results are discussed in terms of developing potentially successful components for intervention programs with rejected-aggressive and rejected-nonaggressive youth.