Predicting physical and verbal aggression perpetration among teenage boys: an application of the theory of planned behavior

Abstract

Purpose Aggression has been introduced as one of the serious problems in public health. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ability of the extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) to predict the physical and verbal aggression behavior. Design/methodology/approach In this research, 462 teenagers were evaluated through the demographic questionnaire along with the main structures of the TPB as a predictor of behavior. After one month of follow-up, physical and verbal aggression was evaluated. Demographic data were analyzed descriptively by SPSS21 and predictability of the structures for intention and behavior of the physical and verbal aggression was analyzed by AMOS. Findings Mean and standard deviation of participants’ age were 14.70 and 1.12 years, respectively. In this research, 22.5% of the participants did not show physical aggression over the last one month and 20% of them did not show verbal aggression over the last month. Path analysis revealed that the variables of the TPB predicted 61% and 32% of variance of intention and physical aggression behavior, respectively, while these variables could describe 43% and 22% of the variance of intention and verbal aggression behavior, respectively. All of the concepts could be significant predictors of the behaviors. Subjective norms were the best predictor of the intention for physical and verbal aggression. Intention and perceived behavioral control were good predictors of physical and verbal aggression. Research limitations/implications Given the role of subjective norms in intention and also the role of intention and perceived behavioral control of people for aggression, it can be concluded that emphasis on social and psychological education about subjective norms, peer groups and self-control can help reduce this problem. Originality/value A few studies have predicted behavior occurrence in the future. Given the lack of focus on the role of constructs that may bring about future behaviors, the current research was conducted to use the structures of the TPB to predict behavioral intention as well as perpetration of physical and verbal aggressive behaviors, independently.