Studying Investigates Methods for Handling Aggressive Behavior in Primary School Students

Abstract

 Teenage hostility is a prevalent issue, with numerous youngsters asserting they have encountered bullying or mistreatment from others. Cost-effective strategies are essential for addressing this concern. The present investigation examined the influence of playful skirmishes on the perception of violence among elementary school pupils. In a study emulating prior research involving 13-year-old middle schoolers, 68 fourth and fifth-grade students (35 boys and 33 girls, mean age = 9.55 ± 0.5 years) engaged in a regulated play-fighting school intervention twice weekly for four consecutive weeks utilizing a crossover longitudinal approach. On three occasions, subsequent to the play-fighting intervention (A2) and during the baseline period (A0 and A1), participants completed the 12-item abbreviated version of the Aggression Questionnaire. Across the three assessment points, a repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant intra-subject variances (F=2.91, P = 0.003). Verbal aggression, hostility, and anger exhibited substantial declines at A1, whereas only physical aggression demonstrated a notable decrease post-intervention compared to A1 (A1 = 5.45 ± 2.47; A2 = 5.04 ± 2.41; F = 5.22, p = 0.005). The results uphold the positive outcomes of earlier investigations in early adolescence and provide initial insights into the potential efficacy of incorporating play fighting within a physical education curriculum to address children's disruptive and aggressive behaviors.