Gender Differences in the Prevalence of Physically Aggressive Behaviors in the Canadian Population of 2-and 3-Year-Old Children

Gender differences in the prevalence of behavior problems are among the most basic epidemiological issues that can be investigated. These differences can be used to better understand the origins of childhood behavior problems, their timing and sequence, their continuity and discontinuity throughout the life span, and their etiology (Rutter, 1988). Unfortunately, most of our knowledge on gender differences in the prevalence of behavior problems in children is based on studies of samples drawn almost exclusively from clinics or mental health facilities and nonrepresentative samples of the population (for reviews, see Al-Issa, 1982; Eme, 1979, 1984; Gove, 1979; Gove & Herb, 1974; Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974, 1980; Tieger, 1980; Whiting & Edwards, 1973). Hence, little is known about potentially important shifts in gender ratios during childhood.