Aggressive behaviour among in-school adolescents in a developing country: patterns and associated factors

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to determine the pattern of aggression among senior secondary school students in Calabar and the psychosocial factors that are associated with it. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study of 453 randomly selected senior secondary school students utilizing a self-administered Socio-demographic questionnaire obtain data regarding age, gender etc. and a brief interview using the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) to determine aggression. Results The mean weighted MOAS score was 26.94 ± 0.02. Males had significantly higher weighted MOAS total score than females (t=6.466, p<0.001). There was no gender difference in their aggression against objects but the older adolescents scored higher than the younger ones (t=2.029, p=0.043). Males scored higher in verbal aggression (t=3.064, p=0.002) and physical aggression (t=7.002, p<0.001). In the aggression against self-domain, females scored higher than males (t=1.961, p=0.050). All the domains of aggression correlated positively with the total weighted MOAS score, the strongest being with physical aggression (r=0.908, p=0.000). Conclusions Gender appears to play a significant role in aggression among the participants. That females scored higher in aggression to self may have implications for prevention of suicide among youths.