Problem-solving ability in clinical samples of aggressive and nonaggressive boys

Abstract

The principal objective of this study was to examine the hypothesis that maladaptively aggressive elementary school-age boys would show specific deficits in cognitive problem-solving ability. A pilot study using the Purdue Elementary Problem-Solving Inventory (PEPSI) was first conducted with 123 Grade 2 to Grade 6 children in two schools which differed in the probable socioeconomic status (SES) of their pupils. Scores also tended to be greater in the higher SES school although the effect of SES was inconsistent and accounted for a small proportion of the variance in scores. The PEPSI was then administered to 12 clinically identified aggressive boys, a second clinical sample of 12 boys whose behavior problems were judged not to be aggressive in nature, and 12 controls from the classrooms of the clinical subjects. Subjects were also given a self-report behavioral rating measure. Teacher ratings were obtained using a standardized behavior checklist. A peer-nomination sociometric procedure was carried out in the classrooms (Grades 3 to 6) of all subjects. No significant differences in PEPSI scores were found among the subject groups. Thus the results did not support the hypothesis of problem-solving deficits in aggressive boys. The clinical aggressive boys obtained significantly higher aggressiveness scores than the controls on the self-report measure. This replicated findings from other studies which have demonstrated a preference for aggressive problem solutions in aggressive boys. Teacher-rated aggressiveness was also higher for aggressive boys relative to controls. Only the aggression scores on the sociometric measure discriminated between the clinical aggressive and clinical nonaggressive groups. The pattern of results from this research did not change appreciably when subjects were regrouped according to peer- and teacher-rated aggressiveness. The implications of the findings for further research and clinical interventions are discussed.