Risk Factors Associated With Boys’ and Girls’ Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression From Early Childhood Through Early Adolescence

Key Points Question What are the physical aggression trajectories from ages 1.5 to 13 years and their risk factors when simultaneously taking into account mother ratings, teacher ratings, and self-ratings? Findings In this cohort study using multitrajectory modeling for population samples of 2223 boys and girls, frequency of physical aggressions increased from ages 1.5 to 3.5 years and then substantially decreased. Three distinct developmental trajectories were observed for girls and 5 for boys, while several risk factors for the high physical aggression trajectories were identified. Meaning Developmental trajectories of physical aggression differ for boys and girls, and distinct early risk factors could be targeted for preventive interventions.