Date of Award
Summer 8-2014
Degree Type
Thesis-Restricted
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Applied Developmental Psychology
Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Weems, Carl F.
Second Advisor
Marsee, Monica A.
Third Advisor
Laird, Robert D.
Abstract
The importance of simultaneous consideration of forms and functions in youth measures of aggressive behavior is well established. Competing models have presented these highly interrelated constructs as either independent (e.g., reactive or overt) or paired factors (e.g., reactive and overt). The current study examines these models in the context of assessing the viability of a new self-report measure, the Peer Conflict Scale – 20 Item Version. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on PCS 20 responses from 1,048 school-age youth living in the Gulf Coast region. Both models significantly improved upon one or two-factor alternatives, and demonstrated partial invariance across gender and grade. The models showed comparable levels of fit to the data, though some loadings for the independent factors model were non-significant. Results encourage use of the PCS 20 across research settings and developmental contexts, while also demonstrating the viability of a paired factors model of aggression.
Recommended Citation
Russell, Justin, "The Structure of Child and Adolescent Aggression: Confirmatory Factor Analysis of a Brief Peer Conflict Scale" (2014). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 1892.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1892
Included in
Categorical Data Analysis Commons, Child Psychology Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Multivariate Analysis Commons, Quantitative Psychology Commons, Statistical Models Commons
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.