Relational aggression and physical aggression among adolescent Cook Islands students

Title
Relational aggression and physical aggression among adolescent Cook Islands students
Publication Date
2016
Author(s)
Page, Angela
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9857-9054
Email: apage31@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:apage31
Smith, Lisa F
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Inc
Place of publication
Australia
UNE publication id
une:19024
Abstract
Both physical and relational aggression are characterised by the intent to harm another. Physical aggression includes direct behaviours such as hitting or kicking; relational aggression involves behaviours designed to damage relationships, such as excluding others, spreading rumours, and delivering threats and verbal abuse. This study extended research conducted in New Zealand (Page & Smith, 2012) to explore perceptions of Physical Aggression (PA) and Relational Aggression (RA) of Year 7 to 13 boys and girls (n = 443) and their teachers (n = 8) in the Cook Islands. It also investigated teachers' strategies used to manage aggression. Using a mixed-methods approach, results indicated that there was no gender difference in the perpetration of PA. Girls, however, were more likely to perpetrate and be targets of RA than were boys, but were more likely than boys to act in prosocial ways. Boys were more likely to be targets of PA. PA and RA were highly correlated for both genders. Finally, teachers' perceptions of RA and PA behaviours corresponded with those of the students, but their perceptions of effective strategies differed from those of the students. The findings are discussed in terms of developing strategies for building healthy relationships within Cook Islands' schools.
Link
Citation
Issues in Educational Research, 26(1), p. 98-116
ISSN
1837-6290
0313-7155
Start page
98
End page
116

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