Relationship of Stress, Coping Behaviors, Depression and Aggression on School-Age Children

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of stress, coping behaviors, depression and aggression on school-age children. Methods: The data was collected by self-reported questionnaires from 499, 5th and 6th graders from five elementary schools located in Jollabuk-do Province, Korea. Subjects completed the following questionnaires: Stress, Coping Behaviors, Depression and Aggression. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe test, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 15.0 program. Results: The mean scores of stress, coping behaviors, depression and aggression were 1.48 0.45, ± 2.03 0.50, 14.09 8.27 and 2.26 0.66, respectively. There was a significant positive correlations ± ± ± that could be seen in stress (r=.436, p<.001), coping behaviors (r=.500, p<.001), as well as depression (r=.333, p<.001) in relation to aggression. The variables of aggression in school-age children were stress, coping behaviors, depression, satisfaction with school life and gender which explained 40.4% of the cases. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that current intervention programs are not sufficient enough to curb aggression in school-age children and therefore it is necessary to develop nursing intervention programs to decrease stress, coping behaviors and depression.