Aggression and Violence Among Iranian Adolescents and Youth: A 10-year Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Int J Prev Med

Date 2015 Jul 10

PMID 26157572

Citations 5

Authors

Saeid Sadeghi

Ziba Farajzadegan

Roya Kelishadi

Kamal Heidari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Although the overwhelming majority of Iranian adolescents are well-adjusted, a substantial group exhibits high levels of maladjustment and deficient functioning. Escalation of criminal violence among the youth population has become a major public policy issue and a serious public health problem. In reviewing a 10-year literature, this article aimed to describe and propose primary assumptions regarding the correlates of aggressive and violent behaviors in Iranian adolescents and youth.

Methods: Bibliographic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar along with Iranian databases including PubMed, IranMedex, Magiran, Irandoc, Psychoinfo, and Emrofor Scientific Information Database, and Magiran constituted the databases which we searched for the relevant literature. Overall 98 articles met the inclusion criteria, allowing us to initiate the discussion.

Results: Reportedly, prevalence of violence and aggression among the Iranian adolescents and youth ranged from 30% to 65.5% while males being 2½ times more affected than females. The role of gender, family environment, family size, socioeconomic status, and victimization in perpetuating the circumstances was apparent.

Conclusions: Relatively high prevalence of violence and aggression among Iranian youth and adolescents is a warning sign and a great challenge to the social system. Reviewed studies suffer from certain methodological and conceptual limitations. Undertaking community-based studies to estimate the actual extent of the problem is warranted.

Citing Articles

The relationship between dietary patterns and aggressive behavior in adolescent girls: A cross-sectional study.

Malekahmadi M, Khayyatzadeh S, Heshmati J, Alshahrani S, Oraee N, Ferns G Brain Behav. 2022; 12(12):e2782.

PMID: 36306400 PMC: 9759149. DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2782.

Association of psychosocial factors with aggression among school going rural adolescents in Haryana.

Verma R, Kumar G, Yadav R, Chayal V, Kalhan M, Bhalla K J Family Med Prim Care. 2021; 10(10):3720-3724.

PMID: 34934671 PMC: 8653475. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_447_21.

Bullying and Victimization among Students Bears Relationship with Gender and Emotional and Behavioral Problems.

Mohseny M, Zamani Z, Basti S, Sohrabi M, Najafi A, Zebardast J Iran J Psychiatry. 2019; 14(3):211-220.

PMID: 31598124 PMC: 6778606.

Risk-Taking Behaviors in Iranian Children and Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis Approach: Caspian IV Study.

Abbasi-Ghahramanloo A, Heshmat R, Safiri S, Motlagh M, Ardalan G, Mahdavi-Gorabi A J Res Health Sci. 2019; 18(4):e00428.

PMID: 30728314 PMC: 6941635.

Association of socioeconomic status with psychiatric problems and violent behaviours in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-IV study.

Heshmat R, Qorbani M, Ghoreshi B, Djalalinia S, Tabatabaie O, Safiri S BMJ Open. 2016; 6(8):e011615.

PMID: 27531729 PMC: 5013516. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011615.

References

Estevez E, Musitu G, Herrero J . The influence of violent behavior and victimization at school on psychological distress: the role of parents and teachers. Adolescence. 2005; 40(157):183-96. View

Elliott G, Cunningham S, Linder M, Colangelo M, Gross M . Child physical abuse and self-perceived social isolation among adolescents. J Interpers Violence. 2005; 20(12):1663-84. DOI: 10.1177/0886260505281439. View

Weaver K, Maddaleno M . Youth violence in Latin America: current situation and violence prevention strategies. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 1999; 5(4-5):338-43. DOI: 10.1590/s1020-49891999000400025. View

Kazdin A, French N, Unis A . Problem-solving skills training and relationship therapy in the treatment of antisocial child behavior. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1987; 55(1):76-85. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.55.1.76. View

Nansel T, Overpeck M, Pilla R, Ruan W, Simons-Morton B, Scheidt P . Bullying behaviors among US youth: prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment. JAMA. 2001; 285(16):2094-100. PMC: 2435211. DOI: 10.1001/jama.285.16.2094. View

Laurent A, Derry A . Violence of French adolescents toward their parents: characteristics and contexts. J Adolesc Health. 1999; 25(1):21-6. DOI: 10.1016/s1054-139x(98)00134-7. View

Herrenkohl T, Maguin E, Hill K, Hawkins J, Abbott R, Catalano R . Developmental risk factors for youth violence. J Adolesc Health. 2000; 26(3):176-86. DOI: 10.1016/s1054-139x(99)00065-8. View

Dekovic M, Wissink I, Meijer A . The role of family and peer relations in adolescent antisocial behaviour: comparison of four ethnic groups. J Adolesc. 2004; 27(5):497-514. DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2004.06.010. View

Wakschlag L, Pickett K, Cook Jr E, Benowitz N, Leventhal B . Maternal smoking during pregnancy and severe antisocial behavior in offspring: a review. Am J Public Health. 2002; 92(6):966-74. PMC: 1447496. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.92.6.966. View

10.

Wangby M, Bergman L, Magnusson D . Development of adjustment problems in girls: what syndromes emerge?. Child Dev. 1999; 70(3):678-99. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8624.00049. View

11.

Kataoka S, Zima B, Dupre D, Moreno K, Yang X, McCracken J . Mental health problems and service use among female juvenile offenders: their relationship to criminal history. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001; 40(5):549-55. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200105000-00014. View

12.

Serbin L, COOPERMAN J, Peters P, Lehoux P, Stack D, Schwartzman A . Intergenerational transfer of psychosocial risk in women with childhood histories of aggression, withdrawal, or aggression and withdrawal. Dev Psychol. 1998; 34(6):1246-62. DOI: 10.1037//0012-1649.34.6.1246. View

13.

Jaycox L, Stein B, Kataoka S, Wong M, Fink A, Escudero P . Violence exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depressive symptoms among recent immigrant schoolchildren. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002; 41(9):1104-10. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200209000-00011. View

14.

Flannery D, SINGER M, Wester K . Violence exposure, psychological trauma, and suicide risk in a community sample of dangerously violent adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001; 40(4):435-42. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200104000-00012. View

15.

Sheeber L, Hops H, Alpert A, Davis B, Andrews J . Family support and conflict: prospective relations to adolescent depression. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 1997; 25(4):333-44. DOI: 10.1023/a:1025768504415. View

16.

Crick N, Grotpeter J . Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Dev. 1995; 66(3):710-22. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1995.tb00900.x. View

17.

Blum J, Ireland M, Blum R . Gender differences in juvenile violence: a report from Add Health. J Adolesc Health. 2003; 32(3):234-40. DOI: 10.1016/s1054-139x(02)00448-2. View

18.

Olweus D . Bullying at school: basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1994; 35(7):1171-90. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb01229.x. View

19.

Loeber R, Burke J, Lahey B, Winters A, Zera M . Oppositional defiant and conduct disorder: a review of the past 10 years, part I. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2000; 39(12):1468-84. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200012000-00007. View

20.

Evans G . The environment of childhood poverty. Am Psychol. 2004; 59(2):77-92. DOI: 10.1037/0003-066X.59.2.77. View