Social Aggression among Girls » (1st Edition)

Marion K. Underwood, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology in the School of Human Development at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her work has been published in numerous scientific journals, and her research program has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health since 1995. She received the 2001 Chancellor's Council Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award.

While several recent popular books address the topic of girls' "meanness" to one another, this volume offers the first balanced, scholarly analysis of scientific knowledge in this area. Integrating current research on emotion regulation, gender, and peer relations, the book examines how girls are socialized to experience and express anger and aggression from infancy through adolescence. Considered are the developmental functions of such behaviors as gossip, friendship manipulation, and social exclusion; consequences for both victims and perpetrators; and approaches to intervention and prevention. Presenting innovative research models and methods, this is an accessible and much-needed synthesis for researchers, professionals, and students.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health Services)
Description:This book describes anger and aggression among girls in an attempt to dispel the commonly held myth that aggression is an issue for only men and boys. The author describes both direct and indirect forms of aggression.
Purpose:According to the author, "this book examines how girls experience and express anger and aggression in their peer relationships from infancy through adolescence. This book integrates research on emotion regulation, aggression, gender, and peer relations to describe the forms and functions of girls' anger and aggression, developmental origins and consequences associated with girls' anger and aggression, and whether intervention is possible or desirable to reduce social aggression among girls." The book meets these worthy objectives.
Audience:According to the publisher, "...this is a much needed synthesis for researchers, professionals, and students." The author does not say for whom the book is written, but. both practitioners and students can greatly benefit from this book. The author is a credible authority.
Features:The book covers basic definitions and theory, developmental issues (how anger is expressed in preschool, middle childhood, and adolescence), and clinical implications. The book is good because it is easy to read, has many examples, and integrates current research. It describes indirect aggression, social aggression, and relational aggression. It covers the topic quite well, comparing boys with girls at different ages.
Assessment:I really enjoyed this book. It covers a topic that is not talked about much in the professional realm. The author does a nice job of describing the development of anger through the different stages of childhood. It is a practical book that provides ideas for prevention and intervention.