Aggression in School Students: An Intervention Focused Approach

Abstract

Introduction: The present research was conducted as a part of a series of multicentric youth studies to study aggression in school children followed by intervention programs for the school to prevent violence. Aggression in young children is an important precursor to how they perceive and process a variety of experiences through the course of their lives. It influences and underlines their emotional, behavioral, social, and psychological wellbeing. Identifying the prevalence and strength of beliefs and attitudes towards aggression among young, school-going students’ is thus fundamental, and would help in designing targeted interventions for those at-risk. Sample: In the present cross-sectional study of 988 students, a total of 602 boys and 386 girls of grades 5 th to 12 th in a private, co-ed, English medium school in Delhi were administered a self-rated questionnaire adapted from CDC Compendium of tools measuring aggression. Results: Greater rates of aggressive beliefs (p=0.018) and violent attitudes (p ≤ 0.001) are seen in higher grades (VIII-X std. students) as compared to younger batches of V and VI graders, who show higher rates of aggressive behaviors comparatively (p ≤ 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in girls and boys, where boys in younger grades (V-VI std.) show more aggressive behaviors, whereas girls show increased aggressive behaviors by the IX std. (p ≤ 0.001). Regression analysis showed that aggressive beliefs are a strong predictor of aggressive behavior. Correlation with age showed the prevention should begin at V Std. Conclusions: The roots of aggressiveness are present early in school years, and strengthen as students’ progress through secondary grades. Early, targeted interventions are thus essential in helping children and adolescents attenuate and channelize their impulses in a healthier mode of expression.