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Prevalence and Associated Factors of Physical, Verbal and Relational Aggression among Iranian Preschoolers
Alipasha Meysamie1, Reza Ghalehtaki1, Arash Ghazanfari1
1Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Insights
Childhood aggression, including physical and verbal types, is linked to family environment factors. Interventions should target families and caregivers, especially mothers, to prevent aggressive behaviors in children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychiatry
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Childhood aggression can escalate into significant social challenges in adolescence and adulthood.
- Existing psychiatric interventions primarily target preschool-aged aggressive children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of direct and indirect aggression in children.
- To identify factors associated with childhood aggression.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 1403 children from 43 kindergartens.
- Data collected via a 46-item questionnaire completed by parents and teachers, assessing physical, verbal, and relational aggression.
- Analysis employed complex sample survey design and multivariate logistic regression.
Main Results:
- Prevalence rates varied by informant: parents reported 9.9% physical, 6.3% verbal, 1.6% relational aggression; teachers reported 10.9% physical, 4.9% verbal, 6% relational aggression.
- Family factors like single-parent households, maternal employment, bereavement, and lower maternal education were significantly associated with aggression.
- A link between child's sex and physical aggression was observed after controlling for other variables.
Conclusions:
- Childhood aggression is influenced by both internal and external factors, particularly the family environment.
- Preventative strategies should focus on families and caregivers, with specific training for mothers recommended.
- Early intervention targeting family dynamics can mitigate the risk of persistent aggressive behavior.
Objective:
Childhood aggression may lead to severe social disorders in adolescence and adulthood. Different psychiatric approaches are focused on preschool aged aggressive children. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of childhood direct and indirect aggression.
Methods:
In this cross sectional study a total of 1403 children attending 43 kindergartens were assessed. Data were collected through a structured 46-item questionnaire investigating symptoms of physical, verbal and relational aggression which was completed by parents and teachers of day-care centers. Complex sample survey analysis and multivariate logistic regression method were used for data analysis.
Results:
According to parents' rating, the prevalence of physical,verbal and relational aggression, was 9.9% (95% CI=7.4%-12.4%), 6.3% (95% CI=5.0% -7.6%) and 1.6% (95%CI=1.0%-2.2%), respectively; while based on teachers' rating the prevalence of physical,verbal and relational aggression were 10.9% (95% CI=8.9% -12.9%), 4.9%(95% CI=3.8% -6.0%) and 6% (95% CI=4.4% -7.6%), respectively. A wide range of family environment factors including living with a single parent, having a working mother, death of someone close to the child, and having less educated mother were significantly associated with different types of aggression; additionally, there was some evidence of a relationship between sex of the children and physical aggression, after controlling for other variables (p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
This study revealed that children's family environment alongside internal factors plays an important role as an external factor in determining the child's potential aggressive behavior. Given this, to better prevent the aggressive behavior of children, intervention strategies should be planned for families and caregivers; specially mothers should receive training to use such strategies.
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