Relational aggression is an indirect type of aggression used to damage relationships with others. Adolescent girls frequently encounter this issue, and the ubiquity of technology has expanded the ways in which girls can attack one another, i.e. cyber-bullying. The causes of relational aggression are unknown and could involve a combination of factors, including victim and/or bully psycho-social adjustment, social expectations, or the implicit structure of female friendships in adolescence. The effects range from social anxiety to impacted school performance to depression and suicidality. Groups of friends act much like a family for adolescents in terms of support and intimacy. Using Murray Bowen’s family systems theory as a template, an intervention is proposed where girls are taught techniques that will strengthen relationships with others and themselves. / text

The past 20 years have seen a growing interest amongst researchers into indirect forms of aggression and bullying. The evidence suggests that covert forms of aggression are largely used by adolescent girls as a means of inflicting harm on another and that the effects of such interactions can be detrimental to the individual's psychological and emotional well-being. This study aims to explore the social experiences of four adolescent girls, with particular reference to indirect aggression practices that they may have encountered. Data was collected in the form of unstructured interviews, which were conducted with each participant separately. Prominent themes were then identified and explored by the researcher. This was done from a systemic epistemological stance within the post-modern paradigm. A qualitative methodological design was followed allowing for the personal experiences and meaning attributions of each participant to come to the fore. The study's results were presented in the form of descriptive text with particular reference to the systemic processes that came to the fore. Overall, the study explicated the unique experiences of four adolescent girls with indirect aggression and how these experiences are interwoven with systemic processes that take place in social groups. / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

<p>This dissertation examined several dimensions of the development of physical aggression and indirect aggression in a longitudinal sample of boys and girls. These data are part of the National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth which evaluated the development of children bi-annually from 1994 to 2010. The data for this thesis come from individuals aged 10 and 11 in Cycle 1 (1994) through to Cycle 5 (2002) when they were 18 and 19. In an attempt to explore trends in the development of aggression, the research is presented as three separate projects that examine the following: (1) measurement of physical and indirect aggression by informant and sex; (2) group-based trajectories of physical and indirect aggression and outcomes of trajectories in emerging adulthood; and (3) association between indirect aggression in adolescence and depression in emerging adulthood when physical aggression is taken into account. This is the first longitudinal study to investigate group-based physical and indirect aggression trajectories in childhood and adolescence and outcomes in emerging adulthood. The contribution of this thesis to the field of epidemiological research on aggression is the importance of considering distinct subgroups within both physical and indirect aggression, and joint trajectory groups of both physical and indirect aggression when exploring developmental trends and outcomes of aggression.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Ce projet porte sur l'étude et la prévention du phénomène de l'agression indirecte. Nous souhaitons développer un outil de mesure de ce phénomène et proposer un outil de prévention adapté au milieu scolaire français. Les études pour mesurer uniquement cette forme d'agression et ses conséquences sont presque inexistantes en France et sont encore rares au niveau mondial (Taki et al., 2008). Cette étude vise à combler le manque d'enquêtes et de programmes de prévention de l'agression indirecte (Verlaan, 2011). Nous souhaitons réaliser une première mesure scientifique portant uniquement sur l'agression indirecte pour mieux connaître l'importance de cette forme d'agression et comprendre l'impact d'un programme de prévention (la Trousse de Prévention de l'Agression Indirecte) auprès d'élèves de 6ème en France. Notre question vise donc à mieux comprendre : comment mesurer un phénomène complexe, subtil et qui ne se voit pas ; comment se combinent et se répètent les expositions les plus fréquentes (des témoins, des victimes ou des agresseurs) ; et enfin, comment une action de prévention permet d'améliorer le climat scolaire dans les collèges en France. Notre hypothèse, s'inspirant de notre expérience clinique, devrait nous aider à répondre à notre question de recherche : les enfants exposés à cette forme d'agression (comme victime, agresseur ou témoin) de manière répétée perçoivent négativement le climat scolaire. Nous avons interrogé 191 élèves de 6e, soit l'ensemble des huit classes d'un collège en France : 99 garçons (52.7%) et 89 filles (47.3%). La méthodologie utilisée est celle de l'enquête sur la victimation, sur le climat scolaire et sur la fréquence d'exposition. Nous avons développé un questionnaire original portant uniquement sur l'agression indirecte. Nous nous sommes inspirés des questionnaires sur le climat scolaire (Debarbieux, 2011), d'auto-évaluation (Verlaan, 2007), des motifs d'agressions indirectes (Owens, Shute & Slee, 2000) et du questionnaire de l'estime de soi (Rosenberg, 1979). Pour l'expérimentation, nous avons utilisé la méthodologie de l'accompagnement réflexif et de l'observation non participante avec des enseignantes volontaires. Nous avons adapté la Trousse de prévention à la culture française et l'avons expérimentée avec deux classes de 6e de ce collège (soit 48 enfants). Comme pour les formes les plus violentes d'agressions (Janosz et al., 2012), les résultats de notre enquête montrent que plus les enfants sont exposés à l'agression indirecte (comme témoin, victime ou agresseur) plus ils perçoivent négativement le climat scolaire. Il résulte notamment de notre enquête que 87,3% des élèves sont exposés directement à l'agression indirecte, comme témoins. Notre recherche montre donc que l'agression indirecte est un facteur de risque pouvant augmenter les problèmes de santé mentale des enfants / This project focuses on the study and prevention of the phenomenon of indirect aggression. We wish to develop a tool to measure this phenomenon and propose a prevention tool adapted to the French school environment. Studies to measure only this form of aggression and its consequences are almost non-existent in France and are still rare at the global level (Taki et al., 2008). This study aims to address the lack of surveys and programs to prevent indirect aggression (Verlaan, 2011). We wish to carry out a first scientific measure dealing only with indirect aggression to better understand the importance of this form of aggression and to understand the impact of a prevention program (the Indirect Aggression Prevention Kit) with 6th grade students in France. Our question aims to better understand: how to measure a complex phenomenon, subtle and not seen; how the most frequent exposures (witnesses, victims or perpetrators) are combined and repeated; and finally, how preventive action can improve the school climate in French colleges. Our hypothesis, inspired by our clinical experience, should help us answer our research question: children exposed to this form of aggression (as victim, aggressor or witness) repeatedly perceive the school climate negatively. We interviewed 191 sixth grade students, in all eight classes of a college in France: 99 boys (52.7%) and 89 girls (47.3%). The methodology used is that of the survey on victimization, the school climate and the frequency of exposure. We have developed an original questionnaire dealing only with indirect aggression. We used the questionnaires on the school climate (Debarbieux, 2011), self-evaluation (Verlaan, 2007), motives for indirect aggression (Owens, Shute & Slee, 2000) and the self-esteem questionnaire (Rosenberg, 1979). For experimentation, we used the methodology of reflexive support and non-participant observation with volunteer teachers. We adapted the Prevention Kit to French culture and experimented with two grade 6 classes at this college (48 children). As with the most violent forms of assault (Janosz, 2012), the results of our survey show that the more children are exposed to indirect aggression (as a witness, victim or abuser) the more they perceive the school climate negatively. In particular, our survey shows that 87.3% of students are directly exposed to indirect aggression as witnesses. Our research shows that indirect aggression is a risk factor that can increase children’s mental health problems

The successful social development of adolescent girls is dependent on the acquisition of the skills required to face the challenges of adult life. Young girls are faced with the problem of a growing aggressive behaviour displayed by the girls who are supposedly their friends. This aggressive behaviour may negatively affect social, psychological or emotional development, possibly resulting in long term social adjustment problems. This investigation identifies the types and causes of aggressive behaviour displayed by adolescent girls, with the intention of ultimately identifying strategies to address aggressive behaviour. The implementation of a schoolbased approach, including all sectors involved in the education of the child in a whole-school programme to address aggressive behaviour, is recommended. Including all parties, firmly committed to addressing aggressive behaviour from a preventative perspective, may result in reducing aggressive behaviour and possibly provide adolescent girls with the coping skills required for successful social development. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study served to highlight the aggressive nature of learners in the Foundation Phase, namely of those who are between the ages of 5 to 6 years. The project is based on qualitative research, and the data were collected from three primary schools in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Interviews were conducted with two principals, three educators and three parents. Four learners were used in order to gather further information on the causes of the aggressive behaviour of learners. Their input assisted the researcher to understand the various discipline structures within the school and also, how parents and educators manage the aggressive behaviour of learners. The study sought to identify whether primary and secondary socialisation, and the influence of the media are related to learners behaving aggressively. The information collected confirmed that children model the behaviour of adults and of their peers. The principals and the educators were of the opinion that positive primary socialisation is of the utmost importance, as it lays the foundation for future socialisation. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

The successful social development of adolescent girls is dependent on the acquisition of the skills required to face the challenges of adult life. Young girls are faced with the problem of a growing aggressive behaviour displayed by the girls who are supposedly their friends. This aggressive behaviour may negatively affect social, psychological or emotional development, possibly resulting in long term social adjustment problems. This investigation identifies the types and causes of aggressive behaviour displayed by adolescent girls, with the intention of ultimately identifying strategies to address aggressive behaviour. The implementation of a schoolbased approach, including all sectors involved in the education of the child in a whole-school programme to address aggressive behaviour, is recommended. Including all parties, firmly committed to addressing aggressive behaviour from a preventative perspective, may result in reducing aggressive behaviour and possibly provide adolescent girls with the coping skills required for successful social development. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Socio-Education)

This study served to highlight the aggressive nature of learners in the Foundation Phase, namely of those who are between the ages of 5 to 6 years. The project is based on qualitative research, and the data were collected from three primary schools in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. Interviews were conducted with two principals, three educators and three parents. Four learners were used in order to gather further information on the causes of the aggressive behaviour of learners. Their input assisted the researcher to understand the various discipline structures within the school and also, how parents and educators manage the aggressive behaviour of learners. The study sought to identify whether primary and secondary socialisation, and the influence of the media are related to learners behaving aggressively. The information collected confirmed that children model the behaviour of adults and of their peers. The principals and the educators were of the opinion that positive primary socialisation is of the utmost importance, as it lays the foundation for future socialisation. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)