This study examined the joint effects of the quality of teacher-studentrelationship support (TSRS) and normative levels of classroom aggression on individualaggression in a sample of 687 second-grade children who entered first grade withrelatively low reading readiness skills. Using a prospective design, the present studyexplored the joint effects of teacher-rated TSRS and normative classroom aggression onboth teacher- and peer-rated aggression, controlling for levels of baseline aggression.The study also examined the effect of peer-rated TSRS on teacher- and peer-ratedaggression. Furthermore, ethnic and sex differences on study variables and on theirrelationships were examined. Boys were rated by teachers and peers as having higheraggression levels and lower Time 1 and Time 2 TSRS than girls. African Americanstudents were rated by teachers and peers as having higher Time 1 and Time 2aggression levels. African American students were rated by teachers as having lowerTime 1 and Time 2 TSRS than Hispanic and White students. Hispanic students hadhigher peer-rated TSRS than African American students at Time 1. Furthermore, African American and Hispanic students were more likely to be placed in higheraggressive classrooms than were White students. Regression analyses found that, aftercontrolling for baseline aggression, teacher-rated TSRS predicted peer- and teacher-ratedaggression. However, neither normative classroom aggression nor the interaction ofnormative classroom aggression with teacher-rated or peer-rated TSRS predictedteacher-rated aggression. Peer-rated TSRS did not predict teacher-rated or peer-ratedaggression. There was no evidence ethnicity moderated the relationships between TSRSand aggression. Study limitations and implications for intervention are also discussed.
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