Executive functioning, social cognition and social behavior.

摘要

Executive functioning (EF) is higher order thinking abilities that include the ability to self-regulate and shift from one concept to a more useful concept to attain a goal. This study examined if EF deficits account for faulty social cognition in overtly angry and defensive individuals (reactive aggression [RA]) and account for differences in social behavioral style from children who seek to dominate others in a covert, purposeful manner (proactive aggression [PA]). The study also proposed that EF has a mediating influence on social information processing that affects aggressive behavioral outcomes in social situations.;Participants were 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys (N = 177) of average verbal ability rated for levels of RA, PA and total aggression (Teacher Rating Scale; Dodge & Coie, 1987) and EF abilities (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning-Teacher Form; Gioia et al., 1998). Participants were rated by their science, life skills or physical education teacher---classes in which teachers have the opportunity to observe student interactions.;Participants were also individually interviewed with an assessment of social cognition comprised of 7 thirty-second video vignettes in which child actors are involved in free play or school activities with other children. Responses were coded for relevance of describing the social vignette and accuracy of interpreting the intent of others.;Results of a structural equation model analysis supported a good fit for the proposed model that EF mediates social cognition resulting in aggressive behavioral outcomes. Aggression accounted for 59% of the variance in the model suggesting that changes in aggression explain changes in the other latent constructs (social cognition and EF). Correlational analyses indicated statistically significant relationships between aggression and EF and between aggressive subtypes and processes of EF. A perplexing finding of the study was the weak effect of social cognition in the model. In addition, a weak direct effect of social cognition on aggression was not consistent with previous research (Crick & Dodge, 1996; Dodge et al., 1997).;Support for these findings has implications for the assessment, intervention and treatment delivery to individuals with varying types of social behavioral difficulties.*;*Originally published in DAI, Vol. 65, No. 4. Reprinted here with corrected title.