Characteristics of children and adolescents with mental retardation and frequent outwardly directed aggressive behavior

Am J Ment Retard. 1996 Nov;101(3):244-55.

Abstract

Two interrelated cross-sectional studies were conducted to expand earlier findings about correlates of outwardly directed aggressive behavior in children with mental retardation. In Study 1 we compared children with mental retardation, 27 with and 23 without aggression. Aggression was best predicted by concurrent self-injurious behavior (SIB). In Study 2 we examined the likelihood that aggression was predicted by concurrent SIB and other nondestructive maladaptive behaviors in an archival cohort of 701 children younger than 21 with IQs below 70. Self-injurious behavior significantly predicted outwardly directed aggression for all children regardless of age. Additional predictors besides SIB showed only minimal improvements in model R2 values. Results were discussed in light of recent research proposing a common basis for aggression and SIB.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aggression* / physiology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability / complications*
  • Intellectual Disability / psychology*
  • Language Disorders / complications
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Self-Injurious Behavior / complications*
  • Self-Injurious Behavior / etiology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Stereotyped Behavior* / physiology