Relationship between Family Functioning and Aggression in High School Students

Abstract Introduction: Aggression is a major trait that occurs in adolescence. Family is the first institution in which a person joins, therefore family functioning is a significant factors in the development of aggressive behaviors in adolescents. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between family functioning and aggression in students aged 14-18 years in Rasht. Materials and Methods: The present research is a cross-sectional analytical study. The research population consisted of 500 students aged between 14 and 18 years, studying in the first to the third grade of high school in public and non-public schools in Districts 1 and 2 of Rasht, who were selected using random cluster sampling. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire, Family Assessment Device (FAD) Scale, and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics including Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney, and Spearman correlation test. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between family functioning score and total aggression score (P= 0.0001). There was also a significant relationship between aggression and role, control of behavior, emotional response and emotional involvement (P= 0.001) as well as communication dimensions (P= 0.05). Also, there was a significant relationship between aggression and having a separate room (P= 0.011), father's education (P= 0/007), father's occupation (p = 0.04), and family income status (p = 0.041). Conclusion: The findings of this research showed that children of families functioning appropriately   are more likely to develop aggression than those in families functioning properly.