Cognitive–ecological model of aggression prevention¶

Design · All designs
Evidence · 2 claims (1 for, 1 mixed) · 1 study (1 causal), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The cognitive–ecological model holds that aggression is learned and maintained across multiple social contexts, so prevention must modify both individual cognition and context. The article states its "preventive intervention is directed at modifying both individual social–cognitive and contextual factors relevant to the learning of aggression. We called this approach a cognitive–ecological model." In the MACS trial this translated into stacked intervention levels adding classroom, peer-group, and family contexts, with effectiveness expected to rise as more targeted contexts are added.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

Interventions must target multiple socialization contexts (classroom, peers, family) rather than a single context or component

Constraints¶

The article notes single-component or single-context interventions have limited effectiveness, motivating the multi-context design

Target Learners¶

Elementary school children in inner-city and urban poor communities, especially those at high risk for aggression

Learning Goals¶

Reduce aggressive behavior and increase protective factors such as school achievement and social–cognitive skills

Claims¶

Examples¶

-

Key Sources¶

Metropolitan Area Child Study Research Group. (2002). A Cognitive–Ecological Approach to Preventing Aggression in Urban Settings: Initial Outcomes for High-Risk Children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006X.70.1.179

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`design`
`id`	`cognitive-ecological-model-aggression`
`title`	`Cognitive–ecological model of aggression prevention`
`description`	`The cognitive–ecological model holds that aggression is learned and maintained across multiple social contexts, so prevention must modify both individual cognition and context.`
`status`	`review`
`generated`	by `process:settle-candidates` on `2026-10-17`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `metropolitan-area-child-study-research-group-2002`

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