Sexual Differences and Associations between Aggressiveness and Quality of Life in Late Adolescents

Abstract

One of the relevant personal differences that has been poorly studied (beyond bullying) in its relationship with aggressiveness in adolescents is “quality of life.” In the present study, we explored both the sex differences and the relationship between aggressiveness (from the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire) and quality of life (from the KIDSCREEN-27: KS27) in a population of Chilean late-adolescents (N = 334, M ± SD = 16.88 ± .814 yr). We corroborated sex differences in the subscales of the test, showing that male subjects had higher values on physical aggression and personal subscales (i.e., Physical and Psychological Well-Being) of quality of life. However, the relationships between quality of life and aggressiveness have no sexual differences. In this sense, physical aggression, anger, and hostility were negatively associated with quality-of-life subscales in both sexes. Our results suggest that quality of life has an effect on adolescent aggressiveness, being intense in both social (i.e., Peers and Social Support, School Environment) and personal subscales of quality of life in both sexes. These results demonstrate the importance of considering quality of life in relation to adolescent aggressiveness in both research and the strategies for confronting it.