Reactive and Proactive Aggression: Differential Links With Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Maternal Criticism in Adolescence Simona Skripkauskaite 1 *, Skyler T. Hawk 1a , Susan J. T. Branje 1 , Hans M. Koot 2 , Pol A. C. van Lier 2 , and Wim Meeus 1,3 1 Department of Youth and Family, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands 2 Department of Developmental Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands 3 Department of Developmental Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands .......................................... .......................................... Proactive and reactive functions of aggression are thought to manifest through different familial and emotional processes, even though they often co-occur. We investigated direct and indirect pathways through which maternal criticism and emotion regulation (ER) difficulties relate to reactive and proactive aggression in adolescence. Further, we examined how maternal criticism and emotion dysregulation interrelate, both concurrently and over time. Participants were 482 Dutch adolescents (M ¼ 15.03, SD ¼ 0.45, 57% boys) who self-reported on their ER difficulties, perceived maternal criticism, and reactive/proactive aggression. Cross-lagged panel modeling across four annual measurements revealed direct bidirectional links over time between maternal criticism and emotion dysregulation. Positive links over time from maternal criticism to proactive (but not reactive) aggression were also present. Emotion dysregulation and proactive aggression were linked only indirectly via maternal criticism. Gender did not significantly moderate these links. By revealing differential developmental pathways involving adolescents’ ER and maternal criticism, the present study offers support for the dual function model of aggression. Aggr. Behav. 9999:XX–XX, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. .......................................... .......................................... Keywords: adolescents; longitudinal; maternal criticism; emotion regulation; reactive/proactive aggression INTRODUCTION Aggressive adolescents are at risk of experiencing other adjustment problems, including substance abuse, delinquency, personality disorders, and disruptions in family, school, and peer relations (Barnow, Lucht, & Freyberger, 2005; Johnson et al., 2000; Updegraff, Thayer, Whiteman, Denning, & McHale, 2005; White, Brick, & Hansell, 1993). Aggressive acts can differ in their developmental origins, serve various purposes, and have diverse consequences (Mullin & Hinshaw, 2007). It is thus important to differentiate between reactive and proactive functions of aggression. Reactive aggression is a defensive response linked to frustration or threat and is exhibited in reaction to provocation. Proactive aggres- sion, in contrast, involves calculated efforts to obtain resources important for the self (Dodge, Harnish, Lochman, Bates, & Pettit, 1997). Youth’ s aggression emerges, at least in part, from the complex interplay between dispositional characteristics, such as emotion regulation (ER) abilities and social experiences with parents and peers (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 1998). The current study aims to expand on previous knowledge in two ways. First, we examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between maternal criticism and emotion dysregulation in adolescence. Second, we investigated how youth’ s ER difficulties and parental factors, namely maternal criticism, link to specific reactive and proactive aggression problems in adolescence. Prior research is generally consistent in finding that aggressive youth typically display both reactive and Conflicts of interest: None. a of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.  Correspondence to: Simona Skripkauskaite, Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, Whitelands College, Holybourne Avenue, SW15 4JD London, UK. E-mail: skripkas@roehampton.ac.uk Received 5 November 2013; Revised 9 January 2015; Accepted 13 January 2015 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21583 Published online XX Month Year in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR Volume 9999, pages 1–13 (2015) © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.