Abstract

Numerous researchers have suggested that an aggressive behavioural style is more stable over time in boys than girls. This literature has recently been called into question by studies demonstrating that girls' styles of expressing aggression may be different from boys', and that aggression may occur in different contexts for males and females across the life course. The present study explored longitudinal predictors of self-reported family violence and parenting styles in men and women with childhood histories that placed them at high-risk for various psycho-social problems. Three main questions are addressed: (a) Within a high-risk sample, to what extent can we use participants' past histories of aggression and withdrawal to predict spousal and parental violence and parenting style? (b) Can we make the same predictions for both men and women? and (c) What are the developmental and current life variables that favor/hinder the development and practice of violence in the home and positive parenting strategies?