Editorial

Citation

Davies), M.L.(f)., Fry, D.P. and Ireland, N.G.-K.a.J.L. (2014), "Editorial", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 6 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-10-2013-0026

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Volume 6, Issue 1.

Welcome to first issue of the Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research of 2014. The journal is now into its sixth volume and is continuing to grow as an outlet that specialises in broad-ranging multi-disciplinary conceptual and experimental work into the study of aggression, conflict and peace from an array of theoretical and practice-based perspectives. In the last five volumes we have endeavoured to publish papers that are of interest to theorists, practitioners and policy makers alike, with the aim of informing a wide, international audience. As ever, this current issue publishes an eclectic, international mix of articles intending to inform and interest readers across disciplines.

The first paper in this issue is written by Joaquim Soares and colleagues, and investigates, via a cross-sectional methodology, evidence concerning the chronicity and severity of elder abuse in seven European countries. In general, Italy reported the lowest levels of chronicity, with Germany, Lithuania, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Sweden higher levels across a range of measures, including physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse types. There are numerous implications of these findings for theorists, practitioners and policy makers to consider. The fact that elder abuse is common and in many cases sustained across a range of abuse types all over Europe is a concern in itself, and the authors report that this issue requires urgent and effective actions to both treat and prevent this situation from continuing in the future.

The second paper, authored by William Ickes, Anna Park and Rebecca Robinson, and considers the personality predictors of verbal rudeness and other confrontational behaviours utilising a survey methodology in a US sample. Measures across two studies included social desirability, self-esteem, narcissism, blirtatiousness, behavioural inhibition, behavioural activation, conventional morality, thin-skinned ego defensiveness, affect intensity for anger and frustration, perceptions of entitlement, psychopathology, Machiavellianism, and a retrospective checklist of verbal rudeness and confrontational behaviours. Findings revealed a range of personality predictors of verbal rudeness behaviours, and begin to establish the existence of a certain personality profile that might abuse strangers.

The third paper of this issue, by Yufang Bian and colleagues, and employing a latent class growth model, proposes a developmental trajectory in Chinese adolescent children's physical and relational aggression across gender. Specifically the study examined the gender differences of the three-year developmental process and the impact of this process on mental health. Several important findings were revealed. First, the initial level of physical aggression in boys was higher than in girls although different trajectories were highlighted for boys and girls across time. Second, regarding relational aggression, the initial level of this measure in boys was lower than that in girls but again, this varied across gender through time. This study has clear implications for those working with children and young people in both Chinese and wider contexts.

The final paper in this issue is authored by Mediel Hove, Tinashe Nyamunda and Patience Mukwambo, and qualitatively considers the debilitating socio-economic impact upon the Chiadzwa area in Zimbabwe regarding illegal diamond mining. Data were collected through analysing historical material and contemporary sources, which were corroborated by oral interviews. Interviews were carried out with informal miners and traders, state security and law enforcement agents as well as residents of Chiadzwa and surrounding communities. The paper argues that the Zimbabwean government appeared reluctant to intervene in the illegal extraction of diamonds in search of political leverage but later responded with different violent state manipulative strategies and violent operations, which had detrimental consequences for individual workers. It concludes that the violent strategies employed by individuals and the state has led to injury, illness and death of people who were struggling to survive the harsh socio-economic environment.

Once again, the current issue of the Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research proffers a broad-ranging scope to the extension of work into aggression, conflict and peace studies, utilising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Papers in this issue cover the USA, Europe, China and Africa, offering the reader a truly global view of current research. The editorial team welcomes new submissions from a wide range of subject areas, theoretical backgrounds and methodologies that further our theoretical and practical understanding of human aggression conflict and peace. We welcome submissions from academics, practitioners and policy makers alike. Submissions should be made through our ScholarOne site (www://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jacpr).

Michelle Lowe (formerly Davies), Douglas P. Fry, Nicola Graham-Kevan and Jane L. Ireland