Violence Exposure and Psychopathology as Potential Correlates and Risk Factors of Relational Aggression among Diverse College Students

ABSTRACT

Longitudinal research has demonstrated that the prevalence of physical aggression among youth in the United States has been waning over the past decade; however, the prevalence of relational aggression has increased. Despite the increase in relational aggression, few studies have focused on the risk factors associated with relational aggression perpetration – particularly among college students. Understanding the risks and correlates of relational aggression perpetration among college students is of particular importance because perpetration of relational aggression is directly associated with peer rejection and social isolation and indirectly associated with a number of negative mental health outcomes. Based on established correlates of physical aggression, the current study examined violence exposure and psychological symptoms as potential correlates and risks of relational aggression perpetration. Results indicated that violence exposure and psychological symptoms were positively associated with relational aggression, but these findings were largely due to the intercorrelations between relational aggression and physical aggression. Findings also revealed ethnoracial differences in relational aggression, indicating that race and ethnicity are important covariates to consider in future studies of relational aggression and in relevant clinical practice. Identified correlates may have important implications for identifying college students at risk for relationally aggressive behaviors and in intervening in potentially negative psychosocial outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Aggression
• exposure to violence
• mental health
• race/ethnicity
• adolescent
• trauma
• gender issues
• cultural issues