[[alternative]]Relational Aggression, Intent Attribution, Friendship Quality, and Self-Concept of Female Students in Junior High School

[[abstract]]The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships among relational aggression, intent attribution, friendship quality, and self-concept of female students in junior high school. In addition, the study explores the gender differences in junior high school students’ relational aggression. The researcher interviewed the female relational aggressors, to investigate how they interact with their classmates and good friends. The sample consists of 760 7th and 8th grade students from six junior high schools in Taipei, Taiwan. The instruments used in this study included Children Social Behavior Scale, Intent Attributions and Feelings of Distress, Friendship Quality Measure, and Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (Child Form). The data obtained were analyzed by Chi-square, t-test, one-way MANOVA, and logistic regression. Moreover, the researcher interviewed six female relational aggressors and analyzed each interview transcript. The main findings of this study are as follows: 1.There is a significant gender difference in relational aggression of 7th and 8th grade students, and the number of female relational aggressors is higher than that of the male ones. 2.There are significant differences in intent attribution, friendship quality, and self-concept between the female relational aggressors and the non-relational aggressors. 3.Intent attribution, friendship quality, and self-concept of female students in junior high school can availably predict whether they are relational aggressors. 4.Female relational aggressors share similar characteristics in the dimensions of the friendship quality, social interactions, and self-concept. Finally, based on the findings, some suggestions for education and future researches were proposed.