Adolescent Aggression in the Context of Family Relations and Parental Behavior

Abstract

Aggression in adolescence is a significant developmental, educational, and social concern because it is associated with emotional difficulties, peer relationship problems, and broader problem behavior. Family relations and parental behavior are important for understanding its manifestation. This study examined adolescent aggression in relation to family relationship type, dimensions of parental behavior, and selected sociodemographic characteristics, and determined the predictive contribution of these variables to explaining aggression. The study included 796 secondary school students from southeastern Serbia. Data were collected using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales III (FACES III), the Quality of Family Interaction Scale (KOBI), the SIGMA 4/D Basic Aggressiveness Assessment Questionnaire, and a general participant-information questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Cronbach’s alpha, the Mann–Whitney U test, the Kruskal–Wallis H test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results showed statistically significant differences in aggression by family relationship type, with higher aggression among adolescents from chaotic, rigid, and disengaged families. Aggression was negatively associated with maternal and paternal acceptance and positively associated with maternal and paternal rejection. Among sociodemographic characteristics, only sex emerged as a significant differentiating factor, with male participants showing a higher median aggression score. Regression analysis showed that parental behavior significantly contributed to explaining aggression, with paternal rejection as the strongest single predictor. Findings confirm the importance of family context for understanding adolescent aggression and indicate the need for preventive and counseling programs aimed at improving family relations and parental behavior.