Aggression among adolescents – A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Adolescence age group between 10 and 19 years is a transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and adulthood. There are about 1.2 billion adolescents in the world, around 243 million of them live in India – contributing to one-fourth of the total population in India (UNICEF – India). Taking into consideration, the increasing acts of violence among adolescent people, this study was initiated to study the prevalence of aggression among adolescents and to find out the associated risk factors. Settings and Design: It was a community-based study conducted in the senior secondary schools of urban and rural field practice area of AIMSR. Materials and Methods: Pre-tested, validated questionnaire and Buss and Perry Aggression score were used to assess the levels of aggression in the participants. Sample size of 250 was taken for each group, i.e., a total of 500. Results and Conclusion: In our study, the total prevalence of aggression was found to be 51.9% with higher scores in urban population, males having more of physical aggression and females having hostility – associated significantly with the age distribution, residency type, etc. Interventions are needed to reduce the levels of aggression among adolescents and provide them a good future.

Association of psychosocial factors with aggression among school going rural adolescents in Haryana

“…The total score for anger on the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire ranged from 11 to 33, with a mean of 18.49 ± 4.394; 47.9% of the participants were found to be angry. The findings were similar to a study by Sidhu TK[ 1 ] (prevalence 54.38% with a mean score of 19.53 ± 5.86). The total score for hostility ranged from 8 to 37, with a mean score of 23.69 ± 5.88.…”

“…In the study, labor (48.3%) and farming (21%) were the most prevalent occupations pursued by the fathers of the participants. Sidhu TK[ 1 ] found farming (39.3%) and labor (32.2%) as the most prevalent occupation of the fathers of the study participants; 98.5% of the fathers of the study participants were literate. Dutt D[ 2 ] revealed a similar result, i.e., 97.4% of the fathers were literate.…”

“…In our study, the total score for aggression on the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (maximum score = 145), ranged from 51 to 122, with a mean of 78.83 ± 9.98; 49.4% of the total participants were found to be aggressive. Sidhu TK[ 1 ] quoted the mean score 83.81 ± 18.11, ranging from 40 to 131 and the prevalence of aggression was 51.9% among the adolescents in Punjab.…”

“…A study found the prevalence of physical aggression to be 47.91% with a mean score of 24.05 ± 6.89. [ 1 ] The total score for verbal aggression ranged from 7 to 32, with a mean of 16.60 ± 3.619; 48.3% of the subjects were verbally aggressive. The findings of our study were like Sidhu TK's[ 1 ] who found 53.66% of the participants to be verbally aggressive with a mean of 15.01 ± 4.31.…”

“…Newspapers are full of such incidents involving adolescents in aggression. Sidhu TK[ 1 ] found that the prevalence of aggression was found to be 51.9% with higher scores in the urban population, males having more physical aggression and females having hostility—associated significantly with the age distribution, residency type, etc. A study from the rural area of West Bengal revealed that 66.5% of the children were physically aggressive and 56.8% were verbally aggressive.…”