Heterogeneity and transition of adolescent aggression perpetrators: Individual, family, school, and community risk and protective predictors

A growing body of research has recognized the heterogeneity among aggression perpetrators, particularly regarding their social status and victimization experiences. However, little is known about how distinct perpetrator roles evolve over time or the ecological factors that shape their heterogeneity and developmental dynamics. To address these gaps, the classification and transition patterns of aggression perpetrators in a sample of 2578 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 12.99, SD = 0.60; 47.9% girls) were examined in this study over a 2-year period. A latent class analysis revealed three perpetrator subgroups: high-status aggressors (7.22%), low-status aggressors (12.45%), and low-status aggressive victims (9.15%). Furthermore, high-status aggressors showed short-term stability but tended to shift to low-status roles in the long term, whereas low-status aggressors and aggressive victims exhibited instability across both time intervals. Analyses of multisystemic predictors revealed that protective and risk factors exerted differential effects across perpetrator subgroups, shaping both the persistence and developmental transitions of certain roles. These findings emphasize the need for subgroup-specific intervention strategies that integrate resources systematically at the individual, familial, school, and community levels.