Aggression scores were obtained from 132 preadolescent inner city males to test the hypothesis that paternal absence may lead to both increased and decreased aggression. The subjects were 55 black, 25 Puerto Rican, and 52 white males between the ages of 9 and 13. They attended elementary public schools in Newark, New Jersey. A statistically significant two-way race by parental absence interaction analysis indicated that, when compared to their racial counterparts living with both parents, Puerto Ricans living with one parent were equally as aggressive as other youth. Whites were found to be more aggressive and blacks were less aggressive. Also, overcompensation and local minority group status increased aggression among whites, and maternal identification and local majority group status decreased aggression among blacks. (Author/AM)