잠재프로파일 분석에 따른 중학생의 교우관계 특성 유형과 관계적 공격성의 관계

A Latent Profile Analysis of Peer Relationship Characteristics in Middle School Students and Their Association with Relational Aggression

This study aimed to analyze peer relationship profiles of adolescents and examine the association between these profiles and relational aggression. The participants were 283 middle school students (Grades 1–3) from Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Jeonnam. Data were collected through an online self-report questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and Mplus 8.7. Latent profile analysis identified three profiles as follows. The “Peer Rejected/Friendship Deficient” (19.7%) was characterized by low peer acceptance, high rejection, few close friends, and low-quality friendships. The “Peer Accepted/Few Friendships” (70%) profile exhibited high peer acceptance, low rejection, a few close friends, and high-quality friendships. The “Peer Accepted/Multiple Friendships” (10.3%) profile displayed high peer acceptance, low rejection, and many close friends. Our findings also revealed that relational aggression levels varied among the profiles. The “Peer Rejected/Friendship Deficient” group demonstrated higher relational aggression than the “Peer Accepted/Few Friendships” group. These outcomes underscore the importance of addressing peer status and friendships when examining relational aggression. Interventions targeting the “Peer Rejected/Friendship Deficient” group are crucial, given their vulnerability to relational aggression. Additionally, strategies specific to each peer relationship profile are recommended for fostering positive peer dynamics and reducing relational aggression.