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Beliefs Supporting Violence, Attitudes and Aggressive Behavior Among School Adolescents in Rural Delhi

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Abstract

Violence and aggression amongst adolescents is increasing across the globe. However, the research on adolescent violence in India is limited. The present study was undertaken to study aggressive beliefs, attitudes, behavior rural schools in north district of Delhi. It was a cross-sectional study conducted among adolescents studying in grade VIII–X in three rural schools in Delhi, selected by non-probability sampling. The data was collected using a questionnaire adapted from CDC Compendium of tools measuring aggression. Out of the total 270 adolescents, there were 119 boys (44.1%) and 151 (55.9%) girls. The mean score of beliefs, attitude aggressive behaviour for private co-ed school was highest while all girls’ school had lowest (p < 0.001). Being male (p < 0.001), studying in private co-ed school (p < 0.001) and having attitude towards violence (p = 0.02) contributed significantly to total aggression score. The study highlighted that type of school, gender and attitudes influence adolescents’ behavior towards aggression.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine, North DMC Medical College, Hindu Rao Hospital, New Delhi, 110007, India

    Tanu Anand

  2. Department of Community Medicine, Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College, New Delhi, India

    Jugal Kishore

  3. National Institute of Cancer Prevention & Research, Noida, India

    Shekhar Grover

  4. AACCI, Mumbai, India

    Swati Bhave

  5. Department of Paediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, 110002, India

    Sangeeta Yadav

Authors
  1. Tanu Anand
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  2. Jugal Kishore
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  3. Shekhar Grover
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  4. Swati Bhave
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  5. Sangeeta Yadav
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Contributions

TA, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, contributed in preparation of protocol, literature search data analysis and its interpretation, and drafting the report. JK, Director Professor, Department of Community Medicine, conceptualized the idea for this study. He guided in preparation of protocol, questionnaire, data collection, analysis, writing and reviewing of the report. SG, Scientist B, NICPR, contributed in data collection, entry and statistical analysis of the data and writing of the report. SB, Director, AACCI, guided in preparation of protocol, questionnaire, and reviewing of the report. SY, Director Professor & Head, Department of Paediatrics, guided in preparation of protocol, questionnaire, and reviewing of the report.

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Correspondence to Tanu Anand.

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All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Anand, T., Kishore, J., Grover, S. et al. Beliefs Supporting Violence, Attitudes and Aggressive Behavior Among School Adolescents in Rural Delhi. Community Ment Health J 55, 693–701 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0315-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0315-z

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