Prevalence of aggressive behaviors among the general population of Mashhad-Iran, 2014

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant professor of community medicine, Department of community medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Medical student, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Proficient in community medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Anger and aggression are associated to many personal and social outcomes and physical adverse effects.  The aggressive behaviors also affected academic and job achievements. This study aimed to assess aggressive behaviors and their predictors in general population of Mashhad, Iran, 2014.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a total number of 656 people in Mashhad city (the second biggest city of Iran) were assessed. The survey was done using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire in the public spaces across the city. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and linear regression by SPSS 11.5 software
Results: The mean ages in women and men were 27.68±10.54 years and 29.83±12.72 years respectively. Mean scores were 23.37 and 22.17 for physical, 12.3 and 13.15 for verbal, 17.31 and 15.99 for anger, and 19.57 and 18.06 for hostility domains among men and women respectively. There was a significant difference between men and women in mean scores of all domains of aggressive behaviors (P<0.05). Among demographic variables, age, marital status, history of divorce, infertility, physical illnesses, history of driving fines, history of incarceration, and alcohol abuse were important predictors of various domains of aggressive behaviors.
Conclusion: Aggressive behaviors in physical, anger and hostility domains were statistically higher among men while the score of verbal aggressive behavior was higher in women.

Keywords