influence across methods of assessment could be the result of different raters reporting different aspects of the child's aggressive behavior. This could arise in part because individuals behave differently in different situations (e.g., school vs. home) or because some types of aggressive behaviors are more likely to be noticed (e.g., overt forms such as physical aggression) than other types of aggressive behaviors which may be more subtle or covert (e.g., relational aggression). Different raters provide important and unique pieces of information regarding behaviors. Self-reporters are aware of their own motives and behaviors, which may go undetected by their caregivers, teachers, or peers. On the other hand, caregivers or teachers may be able to understand difficult and complex constructs better than children. A teacher is also more likely to compare a child's behavior to his or her peers, whereas a parent is likely to compare a child's behavior to his or her siblings (Bartels et al., 2003). Regardless of the source of these discrepant results across methods of assessment, it is important to keep in mind that when it comes to studies of aggression, it matters who is doing the rating.
