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Contains fulltext : 102379.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) This study investigated mechanisms behind proactive and reactive aggression, by examining whether four types of self-serving cognitive distortions and the personality traits agreeableness and conscientiousness differently predicted proactive and reactive aggression. Self-report questionnaires and a peer nominations method were administered to 173 sixth grade children (age 10-13) of regular elementary schools in the Netherlands. Negative binomial regression analyses showed that proactive aggression was predicted by self-centered and disagreeable tendencies, whereas reactive aggression was predicted by the misattribution of blame to others and the self-regulatory aspects of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Findings emphasize the need to differentiate proactive and reactive aggression in order to accurately predict, prevent and treat aggressive behaviors in childhood. 12 p.

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia, A literatura tem mostrado que experiências adversas na infância estão associadas aos comportamentos delinquentes. Contudo, pouca atenção tem sido dada aos mecanismos que explicam esta relação. O principal objetivo deste estudo foi investigar um possível mediador desta relação, as distorções cognitivas self-serving. Recorrendo a uma metodologia transversal, com base em instrumentos de autorrelato, uma amostra de 232 participantes, com idades compreendidas entre os 16 e os 22 anos, recrutada em escolas, locais de trabalho e locais com atividades recreativas, foi avaliada quanto a experiências adversas na infância, comportamento delinquente e distorções cognitivas self-serving. Os resultados mostraram que as distorções cognitivas self-serving medeiam a relação entre experiências adversas na infância e delinquência (b = .13, 95% CI [.08, .20]) e o mesmo acontece quer quando se considera especificamente comportamento delinquente violento (b = .06, 95% CI [.03, .09]), quer não violento (b = .08, 95% CI [.04, .12]). Estes resultados sugerem que é importante considerar distorções cognitivas self-serving na prevenção de delinquência em jovens que foram vitimizados na infância., Literature has shown that adverse childhood experiences are associated with delinquency. However, little attention has been paid to the mechanisms that explain this relationship. The main goal of this study was to investigate a possible mediator of this relationship, self-serving cognitive distortions. Using a crosssectional methodology, based on self-report measures, a sample of 232 participants, aged between 16 and 22 years old, recruited from schools, workplaces and institutions with recreational activities, was evaluated for adverse events in childhood, delinquent behaviour and self-serving cognitive distortions. The results showed that self-serving cognitive distortions mediate the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and delinquency (b = .13, 95% CI [.08; .20]), and the same was observed even when considering specifically violent delinquent behaviour (b = .06, 95% CI [.03, .09]) and non-violent (b = .08, 95% CI [.04, .12]). These results suggest that it is important to consider self-serving cognitive distortions in the prevention of delinquency in youth who were victimized in childhood.