Predictive Factors of Aggressiveness among High School Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a key developmental phase often associated with increased aggression and violence in schools. The aim of this study was to examine the factors predictive of aggression among high school students in Kashan, Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving students aged 11-20 from junior high and high schools in Kashan, Iran, was undertaken during the 2023-2024 academic year. The participants included both genders and were selected applying multi-stage random sampling method. Data were collected via a questionnaire which addressed demographic, individual, family, and social factors, along with the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AGQ). For data Analysis, SPSS (version 26) was used. Results: The study involved 600 adolescents, of which 66% were aged 16 or older and 48.7% were male. The Logistic regression analysis revealed that high school students showed significantly elevated odds of aggressive behaviors (OR = 1.87, p = .005), comparing to the likelihood of aggression among junior high school students. Strong parental dependence raised aggression likelihood by 1.58 times (OR = 1.58; P=0.01). In contrast, stressful environments of family (OR = 0.35; P 0.001), classroom (OR = 0.55; P=0.001) and being interested in violentmovies (OR = 0.42 0.001) were correlated with lower aggression levels. Conclusion: we concluded that teenagers with high parental dependence could have increased level of aggression, while challenging environments and unexpected exposure to violence were correlated with lower level of aggression. The results highlight how parenting and environment situation could affect adolescent aggression. Interventions should promote autonomy and ageappropriate education to mitigate violent behavior.