• Survey Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.37-58
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• 2009

The purpose of this study were to identify the subgroups (i.e., latent classes) depending on early adolescents' change patterns in aggression and to test the effects of individual-background variables on determining the latent classes. For these goals, we applied Nagin's(1999) semi-parametric group-based approach to the Korean Youth Panel Study. Results showed that four latent classes were identified, which could be defined based on the patterns as low-level group, increasing group, intermediate-level group, and high-level group. By adding gender, self-control, parent attachment, teacher attachment, and the number of delinquent friends to the unconditional latent class model, we tested the effects of the variables on the latent classes. Multinomial logit analysis showed that gender, self-control, teacher attachment, and the number of delinquent friends were significant determinants of the latent classes. Findings from this study suggest the need to consider heterogeneity in the study of early adolescents' aggression to facilitate more refined targeting of intervention program.