Peer physical aggression and its association with aggressive beliefs, empathy, self-control, and cooperation skills among students in a rural town of China

Appraising risk factors of aggression in children and adolescents at psychiatric inpatient units

This study examined predictors of aggression and assessed whether different subgroups of children and young people (CYP) display varying risks of aggressive incidents during hospitalization. Data from 10,090 children admitted to the psychiatric inpatient units of Cincinnati Children's Hospital between April 2010 and June 2021 were analysed. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine significant predictors associated with aggression, followed by average marginal effects and cluster analyses to rank and establish clusters by the order of predictor importance. About 32.5% reported positive history of an aggressive incident. The mean BRACHA score was doubled compared to those without a prior history. The primary analysis showed that both younger and male CYPs had higher odds of aggressive incidents. We also found that CYP with an African descent, not being able to live with both biological parents, those who reported positive history of psychiatric hospitalisation, and prior externalising behaviours had higher odds of aggressive incidents. These findings have important clinical and public health implications, as they provide valuable knowledge for healthcare professionals to improve prevention strategies for aggression amongst this vulnerable population.

Association between self-control and health risk behaviors: a cross-sectional study with 9th grade adolescents in São Paulo

BACKGROUND

Self-control (SC) has been consistently found associated with diverse health risk behaviors (HRBs), but little research refers to low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, there is evidence that some HRBs tend to aggregate, however studies with the specific purpose of addressing the relation between SC and multiple health risk behaviors (MHRBs) are rare. The objective of this study is to analyze these associations and provide evidence to help filling these gaps.

METHODS

A sample of 2106 9th grade students from the city of São Paulo responded a self-administered questionnaire in 2017. We tested the association of SC measured as an ordinal variable with four levels (higher, high, medium and low) with six HRBs (binge drinking, marijuana use, smoking, high consumption of ultra-processed food, sedentary behavior and bullying perpetration), in both separated and aggregated forms (MHRBs), controlling for potential confounders. Binary logistic regression was used to test the association between exposure (SC) and single outcomes. In order to analyze the association of SC with MHRBs, multinomial logistic regression was employed.

RESULTS

SC was associated with five of six HRBs investigated and with MHRBs. The effect size of the association of SC and MHRBs increased in a steep pattern with accumulation of more HRBs.

CONCLUSION

Low self-control is associated with most HRBs investigated and the magnitude of the association increases when more than two or three HRBs are accumulated. There seems to be a group of adolescents in a position of pronounced vulnerability for MHRBs. This should be considered when designing public policy and prevention programs. In contexts of limited or scarce resources and public funds, interventions focusing the most vulnerable groups, instead of universal interventions, should be considered.

The Association between School Climate and Aggression: A Moderated Mediation Model

While previous studies have shown evidence of an association between school climate and aggression, few have explored the mechanisms behind this association. As such, this cross-sectional study focused on both the mediating effects of self-control and the moderating effects of the parent-child relationship on the association between school climate and aggression. Data were obtained through an anonymous survey conducted among 1030 Chinese elementary and middle school students (52.72% male, average age = 11.53 years), who responded to items on school climate, aggression, self-control, and the parent-child relationship. First, the results showed that school climate was negatively associated with aggression. Second, a mediation analysis showed that self-control significantly mediated the association between school climate and aggression. Third, a moderated mediation analysis showed that the parent-child relationship significantly moderated the first stage of the indirect path (school climate → self-control). Specifically, this association was notably stronger among children and adolescents with better parent-child relationships. In sum, these findings constitute a valuable reference for both improving self-control and in the context of targeted interventions aimed at preventing aggression in children and adolescents in China.

The Relationship between Peer Attachment and Aggressive Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Effect of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy

This study aimed to test the association between peer attachment and aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy on this relationship. A total of 1171 (582 male, 589 female) Chinese adolescents completed self-reported questionnaires that assessed peer attachment, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and aggressive behavior. Path analysis showed that the negative association between peer attachment and adolescent aggressive behavior was mediated by self-efficacy in managing negative emotions. However, the mediating effect of self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions was nonsignificant. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the indirect paths mentioned above between male and female respondents. These findings highlight self-efficacy in managing negative emotions as a potential mechanism linking peer attachment to adolescent aggressive behavior.

Assessing Violence Risk in Adolescents in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Systematic Review and Clinical Guidance

Introduction

Violence risk assessment is one of the most frequent reasons for child and adolescent psychiatry consultation with adolescents in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Here we provide a systematic review of risk factors for violence in adolescents using the risk factor categories from the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment study. Further, we provide clinical guidance for assessing adolescent violence risk in the pediatric ED.

Methods

For this systematic review, we used the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2009 checklist. We searched PubMed and PsycINFO databases (1966–July 1, 2020) for studies that reported risk factors for violence in adolescents.

Results

Risk factors for adolescent violence can be organized by MacArthur risk factor categories. Personal characteristics include male gender, younger age, no religious affiliation, lower IQ, and Black, Hispanic, or multiracial race. Historical characteristics include a younger age at first offense, higher number of previous criminal offenses, criminal history in one parent, physical abuse, experiencing poor child-rearing, and low parental education level. Among contextual characteristics, high peer delinquency or violent peer-group membership, low grade point average and poor academic performance, low connectedness to school, truancy, and school failure, along with victimization, are risk factors. Also, firearm access is a risk factor for violence in children and adolescents. Clinical characteristics include substance use, depressive mood, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antisocial traits, callous/unemotional traits, grandiosity, and justification of violence.

Conclusion

Using MacArthur risk factor categories as organizing principles, this systematic review recommends the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY) risk- assessment tool for assessing adolescent violence risk in the pediatric ED.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence in Adolescent Cyberaggressors and Cybervictims

The main objective of the present research was to examine the role played by emotional intelligence in its three dimensions—emotional attention, emotional clarity, and emotion regulation—and by empathy in its four dimensions—perspective-taking, empathic understanding, empathic stress, and empathic joy—in cyber violence, both in aggressors and victims. A total sample of 1318 adolescents (47% boys; aged between 11 and 17 years), enrolled in four secondary compulsory education schools in Spain, participated in the study. The results indicated that, regarding emotional intelligence, cyberaggressors showed statistically significant differences in the dimension of emotion regulation. Participation in violent online behaviors is associated with a lower capacity to regulate emotions; cybervictims showed statistically significant differences in the three dimensions of emotional intelligence. Regarding empathy, cyberaggressors obtained statistically significant group differences in three of these dimensions: perspective-taking, empathetic joy, and empathic stress. Finally, the empathy dimensions for the cybervictimization groups did not show significant mean differences, indicating that there was no statistical relationship between the degree of cybervictimization and the individual’s empathy. These findings stress the relevance of emotion regulation in cyberviolence in students in adolescence and allow us to understand the different roles it plays for offenders and victims.

The Influence of Bullying and Cyberbullying in the Psychological Adjustment of Victims and Aggressors in Adolescence

The objective of the present study was to analyze the extent to which violent peer behavior and victimization, both traditional and cybernetic, and predict certain indicators of psychological maladjustment in adolescents, such as self-concept, satisfaction with life, feeling of loneliness, depressive symptomatology, perceived stress, social anxiety, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Participants in the study were 1318 adolescents of both sexes, aged between 11 and 18 years and enrolled in Compulsory Secondary Education schools. The design of the study was cross-sectional. The results indicated that the victims generally present greater maladjustment than the aggressors. Both victims and cybervictims showed a greater decrease in all the dimensions of self-concept, compared with aggressors and cyberaggressors. However, the two types of aggressors showed a higher likelihood of presenting low levels of empathy. Feeling of loneliness, depressive symptomatology, perceived stress, and degree of life satisfaction was more probable to be present in all groups of aggressors and victims. Finally, with regard to emotional intelligence, victims had a higher probability of obtaining low scores in all the dimensions of this construct; this was the case for traditional aggressors only in the dimension of emotion regulation. These results contribute to our understanding of the consequences of harassment in the adaptation of the students involved, with relevant practical implications.

Dyadic Peer Interactions: the Impact of Aggression on Impression Formation with New Peers

Little is known about youth's initial interactions with previously unfamiliar peers and how aggression can affect behavior in these interactions. We observed previously unfamiliar youth engaging in a dyadic activity to determine how tendencies toward aggression related to behavior within the activity (i.e., collaboration) and how collaboration affected initial impression formation. From a dyadic perspective, we assessed how similarities versus differences in tendencies toward aggression affected the nature of the interaction. Participants were 108 5th grade dyads (M = 11.13 years; 50% female; 67% White), observed in a laboratory session. Teachers rated individuals' aggression; ratings were used to calculate dyadic-level aggression (the discrepancy between partners). Observers rated dyads' collaboration during the interaction and participants reported perceptions about their partner after the interaction. Results indicated that collaboration mediated the link between discrepancy in aggression and peers' perceptions of one another. Specifically, dyads more discrepant in their aggression collaborated less and had less positive perceptions of one another. Results highlight the importance of considering a dyadic perspective and indicate a potential intervention point to improve youth's peer relationships.

Epidemiology of schizophrenia and risk factors of schizophrenia-associated aggression from 2011 to 2015

Objective To investigate the risk factors associated with aggression in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Patient clinical, behavioural, and demographic information was collected and reported online to the Beijing Mental Health Information Management System by psychiatrists. We used chi-square tests to analyse information between 2011 and 2015 to determine the prevalence and incidence of schizophrenia and the rate of aggression. We used univariate and binary logistic regression to analyse risk factors of aggressive behaviours. Results The prevalence and incidence of schizophrenia, and the proportion of cases displaying aggressive behaviour, increased considerably from 2011 to 2015. Risk of aggression was associated with non-adherence to medication (odds ratio [OR]: 2.92; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.08-4.11), being unmarried (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.03-2.55), having physical disease (OR: 3.26; 95% CI: 2.28-4.66), and higher positive symptom scores (OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.06-3.81). Physical disease was a risk factor associated with committing more than one type of aggression. Conclusion We confirmed that demographic factors, treatment-related factors, and clinical symptoms were associated with aggression in patients with schizophrenia in Beijing. A focus on improving controllable factors, including medication adherence and physical health status, might help to prevent aggressive behaviour.

Exploring Latent Profiles of Empathy Among Chinese Preschool Teachers: A Person-Centered Approach

In view of the shortcomings of previous research on empathy (e.g., no dimensional differentiation, predominantly variable-centered approaches, and a lack of sample diversity), we adopted a person-centered approach to identify distinct profiles of empathy among Chinese preschool teachers, and we examined how these profiles relate to certain outcomes. We identified three profiles—moderate empathy, high cognitive empathy–moderate affective empathy, and high empathy—that varied in the level and shape of the profile indicators. Subsequent analyses showed that participants with higher levels of overall empathy scored higher in sympathy, while those with higher levels of affective empathy and lower levels of cognitive empathy scored higher in emotional exhaustion. Finally, we discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the findings and the limitations of the study.

Association of genetic variations in the serotonin and dopamine systems with aggressive behavior in the Chinese adolescent population: Single- and multiple-risk genetic variants

BACKGROUND

Genetic predisposition is an important factor leading to aggressive behavior. However, the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and aggressive behavior has not been elucidated.

METHODS

We identified candidate genes located in the dopaminergic and serotonin system (DRD3, DRD4, and FEV) that had been previously reported to be associated with aggressive behavior. We investigated 14 tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a multi-analytic strategy combining logistic regression (LR) and classification and regression tree (CART) to explore higher-order interactions between these SNPs and aggressive behavior in 318 patients and 558 controls.

RESULTS

Both LR and CART analyses suggested that the rs16859448 polymorphism is the strongest individual factor associated with aggressive behavior risk. In CART analysis, individuals carrying the combined genotypes of rs16859448TT/GT-rs11246228CT/TT-rs3773679TT had the highest risk, while rs16859448GG-rs2134655CT had the lowest risk (OR = 5.25, 95% CI: 2.53-10.86).

CONCLUSION

This study adds to the growing evidence on the association of single- and multiple-risk variants in DRD3, DRD4, and FEV with aggressive behavior in Chinese adolescents. However, the aggressive behavior scale used to diagnose aggression in this study did not account for comorbid conditions; therefore, further studies are needed to confirm our observations.

The promotive effects of peer support and active coping on the relationship between bullying victimization and depression among chinese boarding students

We examined the relationship between bully victimization experience and depression in rural adolescents and analyzed the moderating roles of peer support and active coping in male and female students. The sample comprised N=755 adolescents (376 females) with a mean age of 13.52 years. Through structural model and multi-group analysis, the results indicated: (1) a significant gender difference on the positive association between bullying victimization and depression; (2) peer support had a directly negative effect on depression among all boarding adolescents; and (3) significant moderating effect of active coping on the association between victimization and depression, without significant gender difference. We discuss enhancing active coping and peer support as a prevention strategy to reduce adverse mental health outcomes in adolescents due to bullying victimization.

Moral Disengagement as Mediator and Moderator of the Relation Between Empathy and Aggression Among Chinese Male Juvenile Delinquents

The link between empathy and aggression is well documented; yet, studies examining potential mechanisms that explain this association are limited. In the present study, we tested the relation between empathy and aggression and examined both the mediating and moderating effects of moral disengagement on this relation among Chinese male juvenile delinquents. Three hundred and fifty-seven male juvenile delinquents from one Chinese juvenile correctional facility completed the interpersonal reactivity index, the moral disengagement scale and the aggression questionnaire. The results indicated that moral disengagement partially mediated the influence of empathy on aggression. Moreover, moral disengagement moderated the relation between empathy and aggression. Specifically, there was a significant negative relation between empathy and aggression at low levels of moral disengagement. However, at high levels of moral disengagement, the relation between empathy and aggression was non-significant. The significance and limitations of the results are discussed.

Students' Aggression and Its Relevance to Personal, Family, and Social Factors

Background:

Aggression is defined as behaviors intended to hurt, harm, or injure another person. Aggression is by no means a new concern in human society, especially in youth. Universities are among the institutions in which most of the members are young people and because of facing with various personal and social stressors, the students usually experience high level of stress.

Objectives:

This study aimed to determine aggression among university students and its association with their personal, family, and social characteristics.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional, analytic study was conducted on a representative sample (n = 809) of university students (1 state university and 2 private universities) locating in Gonabad, Iran in 2012. Using proportional to size stratified sampling, we selected the respondents and gathered the required data using a valid and reliable questionnaire. The data were entered into SPSS (version 20) and analyzed through t test, ANOVA, and regression model.

Results:

A total of 381 (47.2%) male and 428 (52.8%) female students participated in the study. Mean (SD) age of the respondents was 21.79 (2.86) years. Overall mean aggression score (SD) in the students was 72.45 (15.49) and this score for in dorm and out of dorm students was 74.31 (15.59) and 70.93 (15.23), respectively. There were significant associations between the mean aggression score of dormitory students and sex (P = 0.004), age (P = 0.044), and type of the university (P = 0.039). On the other hand, there was no significant association between all independent factors and mean aggression score of students living out of dorm.

Conclusions:

Regarding the control of aggressive behaviors, paying attention to male, young students living in dormitory, especially in non-governmental universities has the highest priority.