Examining factors associated with (in)stability in social information processing among urban school children: a latent transition analytic approach.

There is compelling evidence for the role of social information processing (SIP) in aggressive behavior. However, less is known about factors that influence stability versus instability in patterns of SIP over time. Latent transition analysis was used to identify SIP patterns over one year and examine how community violence exposure, aggressive behavior, and behavior regulation relate to (in)stability in SIP. Participants were 429 urban children (ages 7-13, M = 9.58; 86% African American). Latent transition analysis indicated four SIP profiles: stable low, decreasing, increasing, and stable high. Children with consistently high aggressive SIP reported the greatest community violence exposure and aggressive behavior. Compared to children who remained high on aggressive SIP, children whose aggressive SIP declined reported greater behavior regulation, suggesting that individual differences in executive function may account for stability in aggressive SIP during mid- to late childhood.