Study: Mean Girls Start As Tots

3-Year-Olds Use Manipulation, Peer Pressure; Parents Can Intervene

(AP) 
They asked which children were most likely to start fights, which were most popular and which were most physically aggressive.

The surveys found that even in preschool, a social hierarchy exists.

"You have popular kids, you have average kids, and you have kids (whom) others don't like to play with. Then there are some kids who just fly below the radar," Hart said.

Other research at BYU has shown that physically and relationally aggressive children are more likely to have parents who discipline with psychological control and manipulation, withdrawing love, avoiding eye contact and laying guilt trips on the kids.

"With relational aggression, we are early on in trying to tease apart these relationships," Hart said.

One thing researchers do know is that childhood slights can have lasting impacts.

Hart said the study may help teachers and parents key into relational aggression and the psychological and emotional trauma it can cause. Just as they do with physical aggression, adults need to monitor such behavior and help children recognize the harm it can cause.

"We've done studies showing that reasoning with children, not just one time but taking lots of opportunities to reason with them about how their behavior is affecting others, can help diminish it," Hart said.