Relation Between Exposure to and Consequences of Aggression: U.S. National Sample of Adolescents

• NCJ Number: 237647
• Journal: Journal of School Violence Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: October-December 2011 Pages: 355-373
• Author(s): Marie S. Tisak; Michele George Wichorek; John Tisak
• Date Published: October 2011
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relations among different paths of exposure to three types of aggression.

Abstract

Adolescents, 12 to 18 years (N = 962), were asked how often they worried about, heard about, witnessed, were victimized by, and committed aggression at or near their schools. Social, moderate physical, and violent aggression were assessed. Females heard, worried, and witnessed more social aggression than males, but both were victims and/or perpetrators of social aggression. With increasing age, hearing about moderate physical aggression increased (p = .001), but being victimized decreased (p = .01). Committing moderate physical aggression was predicted by witnessing (p less than .001) and being victimized (p less than .001) by moderate physical aggression. Committing violent aggression was also predicted by witnessing (p less than .001) and being victimized by violent aggression (p less than .001). Practical implications for school systems are that assessments could be used to measure the occurrence of different types of aggression in the schools and focus interventions on the aggression types that are most problematic. (Published Abstract)