Aggressive strategies and victimization during adolescence: Grade and gender differences, and cross-informant agreement

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to analyze the frequency of physical, verbal. and indirect aggression as well as victimization across two genders and grades and (2) to assess the concordance among different informants. According to the answers provided by 257 fifth and seventh graders (mean age 11.4 and 13.5, respectively) in the Peer Estimated Conflict Behavior Questionnaire, four types of ratings were calculated: same- and opposite-gender rating, rating by both genders. and self-report. Additionally, teacher ratings were collected. In contrast to earlier findings, boys were found to he directly, as, well as indirectly, more aggressive than girls, thus challenging the universality of indirect aggression as a strategy more frequently employed by girls. Consistencies among different informants varied, with peers showing the strongest agreement with each other and self-views conforming the least to other ratings.