Seasonal differences of aggressive behavior in Chilean adolescents

Abstract

Purpose – Adolescent aggressive behavior has generated concern about/increasing rates of youth violence in schools. It is important to perform new research using different methods and approximations to obtain a better understanding of this multifactorial phenomenon. A poorly studied area consists of the presence of seasonal differences in adolescent aggressive behavior. Accordingly, several studies (with contradictory results) have found that adult aggressive behavior varies according to seasonality. The purpose of this paper is to use observational descriptive methods to analyze, during different seasons, adolescent aggressive behavior among students in schools of Santiago de Chile. Design/methodology/approach – In all, 32 aggressive interactions between dyads of male adolescents (14-18 years) were recorded using observational methods (i.e. ethological methodology) in a complete academic class in two schools from Santiago de Chile. Subsequently, the paper constructed intensity aggressive indexes based on behavioral data. Findings – The first contact, initiating aggressive interaction, and the aggression frequency were higher during warm season (i.e. spring) rather than cold season (autumn-winter). The aggression intensity of the complete interaction was higher during cold season. In addition, temperature was negatively associated to aggression intensity. Originality/value – These results, apparently contradictory, can serve to support classic models used to explain seasonal differences in aggressiveness, where the intensity of the first aggression could be the mediator of aggressiveness intensity in the interaction. Finally, the paper proposes that seasonal differences must be taken into account as an impact factor over the frequency of adolescent male aggression in schools.